The Dance
by ishouldntbeawake
Summary: They had been everything to eachother. Suddenly it was over. Now, four years later a mission and a little bit of fate has brought the two together. What follows is the result of mixing attraction, love and a little forgiveness. better summary inside!
1. Chapter 1

Hello, all! I promised you a better summary and so here it is:

Kakashi and Sable have a past. A complicated one, because there is no such thing as a simple anything in the world of Naruto. They were once everything to each other, but an assignment involving the Akatsuki changed all of that. Now, four years after the estrangement, Tsunade is sending them both on a mission. will it bring them together? What exactly happened four years ago? And will either of them own up to their feelings? Read on to find out!

**Chapter One: The Assignment**

"Tsunade-sama, you cant be serious?" Kakashi began to argue, handing her back the mission file she had just placed in front of him. There was no way he was going on a mission with her. No way she was going to agree to it.

"Kakashi, you are the best man for the job," Tsunade insisted calmly, though her eyes warned him she was growing annoyed quickly.

"What about Gai? His skills are more than adequate to play bodyguard," Kakashi continued, undeterred by her warning.

" Gai volunteered but covert missions were never his specialty. You and Sable are the only two suited for this mission." Tsunade wasnt budging.

"Sable's part I understand. But the part where I am the only man able to play her bodyguard is the one that has me confused," Kakashi argued, not willing to give up so easily.

"Sable is not just going to be acting as assassin. She will be infiltrating Takaede's organization – as a personal connection. Takaede is intelligent, he'll be suspicious and this mission will take time. Sable will have to gain his trust. Given what happened last time she attempted an infiltration of an Akatsuki connection," Kakashi's eye narrowed at the reminder, "- she needs someone she can trust there to have her back. If she doesn't have that, we cannot expect her to play her role accurately," Tsunade explained with forced patience. She'd to adjust to a few things as Hokage, not beating the crap out of whining shinobi was one of them.

Squabbles between jonin were dangerous, especially when they were of a romantic nature. The Village should come first, but even the most experience ninja had his weaknesses. When there was a falling out between ninja, it created complications- such as refusing to work missions together. Missions like this that required both of their respective skills.  
"She doesn't trust me. Not anymore," Kakashi told her, voice tinted the slightest with sadness at the verity of his statement. It hadn't always been that way.

"For someone who reads so many of Jiraiya's books you know very little about women, Hatake," Tsunade sighed with a shake of her head.

When Kakashi opened his clothed mouth to argue Tsunade held her hand up- "I understand that the two of you have a past but your personal problems are not Konoha's problems. I suggest you get over it. Quickly. You leave in two days' time." The Hokage handed him the file once more and looked back down at the other papers on her desk, effectively dismissing the jonin.

Kakashi stared down at the manila folder a moment before sighing and standing. He stopped at the door, however, and asked "Does Sable know?"

"No. You will just have to stop by her house and fill her in," Tsunade replied without looking up from her papers.

Kakashi sighed and left the office, shutting the door behind him. This was going to be the longest mission of his life.

...

"Kakashi?" Sable asked in surprise as she opened her door. She had sensed his chakra the moment he turned the corner and been shocked when she felt him heading towards her. They hadn't spoken, save for the usual formalities of "hello" and "goodbye", in years. Not since…well, not since the Itachi mission. Now here he was at her door, interrupting her dinner with that grey eye of his. It had always amazed her how much emotion was betrayed in that one eye, If you knew where to look, that was.

"Sable," he greeted. "We need to talk." Straight to the point. It was easiest that way.

"We do? About what?' the kunoichi asked, suspicious. Why would he be here after so long? They hadnt talked in four years and all of a sudden they had something to talk about? Sable was instantly wary.

"You and I, working together," he replied after a hesitant moment. He watched as her eyes widened and narrowed. Yeah, he had expected as much.

"You and I have nothing to talk about," she moved back to close the door but Kakashi jammed his foot between the door and its frame.

"It's about a mission, Sable. Tsunade sent me," he added, careful to avoid eye contact any longer than a moment. Her icy blue eyes always demanded his full attention if he allowed it. The lilac tint around her pupils was something he could get lost in any day. Well, he could have. If this was then. Back when he didn't have to rely on memories to know just how soft her ink black hair was, or how it looked pooled around her head like a halo against the white of his pillowcase.

"What mission? I told Tsunade I wasn't available for missions this week," Sable asked breaking into his reverie and opening the door in her moment of confusion. Kakashi took the opportunity to sidestep her and enter the living room. He stopped just a few feet into the room, looking around the intimate space she had occupied since she had moved out of his apartment.

The walls were a bright red, surrounded with intricately carved white moldings. The focal point of the room was a long white couch in the shape of a U in the middle of the room, placed in front of a large stone fireplace. There was a sidewall converted into an expansive bookcase with countless shelves full of book spines of all colors. He remembered the rainy days he had come home and found her curled up in bed with numerous books spread around her sleeping form. Shaking his head he dismissed the memories and glanced around the room again where he saw dolls, puzzles, and other toddler toys littering the otherwise pristine room. Sable had always been a cleaner, but the toys were what caught his attention. For a moment he had almost forgotten about the child. Her child.

"Damnit, Hatake. I did _not_ invite you in," she growled, but she shut the door behind him anyway. "What mission are you talking about?" she asked again, making him spin slightly to face her.

"Our mission," he replied simply, handing her the folder. He could think of no way to voice the fact that it mirrored very closely the mission that had changed everything for them four years ago. He watched her face as she took the file suspiciously before eyeing the contents. He noted the way all color drained from her cheeks, guessing she reached the detail about who Takaede's Akatsuki's contact was. Suddenly her eyes hardened and she thrust the file back into his hand.

"No. I told Tsunade I was unavailable for missions this week and I meant it. Especially this mission. Im busy, you've interrupted my dinner. Now leave." She opened the door quickly and held it. "Now."

"Mommy? Whose that?" a small voice asked from behind Kakashi.

"Kasume, go back inside. Mommy will be there in a moment," Sable instructed gently, reigning in her anger at Kakashi's visit so that her voice was soft when she spoke to her daughter.

Kakashi turned to face the young girl, just over three years old. Her hair was the same dark raven color as Sable's, curly and long. However, her eyes were dark pools of black, eerily similar to those of Sasuke- and Itachi. The similarity made Kakashi's stomach knot. She was Sable in every way except for those eyes. She wore a light pink dress, her hair adorned with a headband of the same bright hue. She smiled a toothy greeting grin at Kakashi, revealing a missing front tooth.

"Im Kasume," she offered before pointing to her mouth. "The tooth fairy gave me two lollipops when my tooth fell out. I didn't cry at all. I was a big girl," she informed him proudly, clearly as outgoing and social as her mother had been.

"I believe it," Kakashi assured her seriously, as if she had accomplished a great feat.

" Your hair is funny," she observed with childish innocence.

"Good funny or bad funny?" he asked, amused by her change of topic, his initial uneasiness at her resemblance of Itachi subsiding.

"Good funny," Kasume giggled. "Can I touch it?" she asked, reaching up before she even finished voicing the question.

"Kasume, honey. Why don't you go inside and clean up the table? Then Mommy will come in and we'll have dessert okay?" Sable interrupted, kneeling down so they were eye level. "I bought chocolate ice cream," she added as incentive.

"Okay, Mommy! Bye, mister!" Kasume waved before running into the kitchen.

Sable just stared after her, refusing to look at Kakashi. Finally, she glanced up at him, her eyes guarded. "Tell Tsunade I refuse. I'm not leaving Kasume to seduce one of Itachi's contacts," she told him bluntly. "She'll have to send someone else. Send Anko. She can torture someone just as well as I can."

"Tsunade isn't taking no for an answer, Sable. Believe me, I tried. And Anko doesn't have the covert experience you do. You know if she went it would be a bloody mess," he reasoned, listening to the sounds of clanking dishes and running water from the kitchen.

"How long?"

"As long as it takes you to get the information. Tsunade would rather us not let Takaede know why we're there- hence the clandestine nature of the mission. Torturing him is a last resort."

"That's too long. Kasume can't be left alone."

"I don't like it either, Sable. But we don't have a choice here. We finally have a lead on Itachi and we need to move fast," Kakashi said, repeating what Tsunade had said to him when he first refused the mission.

Sable was silent for what felt like days to Kakashi before finally asking, "When do we leave?"

A wave of relief washed over the jonin. He hated the idea of the mission as much as she did but her going somewhat willingly would make the whole thing easier. "Two days." He laid the folder down on the coffee table beside the couch before taking one last look at her and leaving. Kakashi knew it was going to be a long night of remembering for him, and an even longer one of that grinning toddler.

Sable sighed and plopped down on the couch, placing the folder on her lap. "This is going to be one of the longest missions of my life," she told the room aloud before cracking the manila open once more.

...

Alright! So, what do you guys think? An idea/story worth continuing? If yes, let me know by taking A MOMENT to leave a review giving me your thoughts!

If enough people like it, then I will have chapter 2 posted in a day. Reviews determine the speed with which subsequent chapters are posted. Remember- we're all writers here. Feedback is our best friend!


	2. Stop and Stare

Hello all!

Glad to see some of you liked the first chapter enough to ask me to continue it. I appreciate the PMs in lieu of reviews but would rather you just leave a review, it motivates others! PMs included, there were enough reviews to continue the story so, here we go!

Chapter Two: Lips of an Angel

"I don't know, Sable. Maybe this is a good thing," Kurenai suggested before popping a bonbon in her mouth. "I mean, you know you two were amazing together. Not even you can deny that."

"'Were' being the key word there, Kurenai," Sable sighed, taking a sip of tea and curling her legs under her on the couch. "Plus, if we were meant to be, we would be. Its that simple."

"Boiling everything down to "if it should be it is" isn't going to make it easier to look at him without that dreamy look in your eyes."

Sable glared at her friend over the rim of the mug. "I do not have a dreamy look. "

Kurenai laughed and shook her head. "Oh, honey. Everytime you see him with his team you stop and watch. And your eyes get all pearly and far away. It doesn't take a genius to figure out whats going through your mind."

Sable watched the tendrils of steam rise from the hot tea, silent for a moment. "It's not dreams, Kurenai. Sometimes I just…miss him, miss us –But not a lot!" she added quickly, snapping out of her little reverie. "It's just strange to think of what it was like to how we are now. But it's been four years. I'm over it."

"If you were over it, this mission wouldn't be such a big deal, Sable."

"I am over it," Sable insisted. "If I was over it I wouldn't have spent the last month with Inoichi, would I?" she challenged.

"Oh, my mistake. A month of dinners and a few kisses after four years of moping clearly means you're completely over him," Kurenai said sarcastically, shaking her head. "Honey, you need to stop denying it so much. There is nothing wrong with still being in love with Kakashi."

"Except for the part where he walked away," she murmured, sighing and setting her cup down. "Kurenai, I cant take those risks anymore. Emotionally or physically. I left the ANBU when Kasume was born because I need to be there for her the way my parents couldn't be for me. I cant fall apart over Kakashi again. So why bother trying when I know the ending?"

"Maybe since the characters have changed, the ending will too?" Kurenai asked her softly. "You have to at least open yourself up to the possibility that maybe this time it will be different. Don't you want another chance?"

"I'm not sure. I'm really not. And that's what worries me."

…

"A mission with Sable, huh? Sounds like your chance," Asuma told him with grin, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Its only been what, four years?" He blew the smoke out in soft clouds, watching them float up and dissipate into the air of the training grounds. It was pretty deserted, save for Asuma and Kakashi who were catching up after training with their respective teams.

"Four years and two months," Kakashi corrected, polishing his kunai.

"Not that you're counting or anything," Asuma chuckled, shaking his head. "Man, you've been pinning after her since you ended it. This is your second chance, don't think you're gonna get a third. Use this mission to make up for the ass you were."

"I was the ass?" Kakashi asked, surprised. That is not how he remembered the story.

"She came back alone from a mission the two of you started together. She was held and tortured while you were here thinking she had fallen for the bad guy. Yeah, you were the asshole."

"That's not... You should have seen the way she looked at him. And then she left with him in the middle of the night. It didn't seemed forced at all. I wanted to kill him and she stopped me. What would you think if it was Kurenai?"

"Kakashi, her job was to seduce him. If she hadn't given him those looks, he wouldn't have bought her story. You let your jealousy get the better of you. There were four parts that made you the ass in this story," Asuma informed him easily.

"Four? What are you talking about?"

"One: you thought she was capable of loving Itachi Uchiha," Asuma ticked off, flicking up his pointed finger.

"Shes a good actress," Kakashi mumbled, not liking the turn this conversation had taken.

"Two," Asuma continued, ignoring his comment. "Mr. Teamwork left his partner, who just happened to be his lover, in the hands of the Akatsuki."

"I thought that's where she wanted to be!"

"Three: when she was found outside the Village gates, all post-torture episode with Itachi, your first question was 'where is he?'. Not "Im so glad to see you. Im sorry I was an idiot. Are you okay?"'

"I was…alright. That one I'll give to you."

"And four: when you found out she was pregnant with Uchiha's kid, you high tailed it out of there like Naruto chasing a ramen cart. The last one is the most assholish, if you ask me."

"I didn't," Kakashi glared. "I don't care if the kid is Itachi's. I care that its hers and Itachi's," he clarified, voice low. "Its one thing to have to spend a night with him for the sake of a mission, but it went on for weeks. Then she leaves with him in the middle of the night. When she showed back up she was pregnant and different."

"I hear torture and rape do that to a person, " Asuma said bluntly. "You dropped the ball, man. Now pick it up, dust it off and hand it back to her."

"You're starting to sound like Kurenai," Kakashi warned, suspicious of his friend's sudden insight into women. Especially one as complicated as Sable.

"Oh, you have no idea how many nights Ive had to spend listening to Kurenai complain about you. Apparently shes tried talking to Sable about it a few dozen times a year but Sable hasn't been too responsive. When she does talk its about what the two of you used to be like. Shes not a fan of rehashing what went wrong. Not that we can blame her."

Kakashi looked over at him, grey eye surprised. "She talks about us?"

Asuma held his hands up. "If you want to know what Sable thinks of you two, ask her. Im not playing go between. That's Kurenai's gig."

Kakashi nodded and stood, stretching. "Ive got to go. I was supposed to meet Iruka at the school an hour ago. I should start heading over."

Asuma chuckled and shook his head. "You'll be late to your own funeral, Kakashi."

"We can only hope," he called back over his shoulder with a small wave.

…

"Thanks for meeting me. Honestly, after you told me about the mission, I wasn't sure you would show," Inoichi greeted as Sable kissed him on the cheek. He held the chair for her and pushed her in before sitting himself.

"I would never just leave you here waiting," she told him seriously, though she blushed from the implication that the mission with Kakashi meant they were back together. "It isn't that kind of mission. He's just there to act as a guard. Last time things went south fast so I think this is Lady Tsunade's way of giving him a chance to redeem himself."

Inoichi just smiled at her sadly. "Sable, can you honestly tell me you don't see a chance of you two ending back up together?"

She reached out and picked one of the lilies from the bouquet he had set at the table, tracing the single petal gently with her fingertips. "I don't know. I think that this could be a chance for him to make up for what happened last time- but only as far as the missions concerned. Inoichi, what he broke between us, I don't see getting fixed anytime soon."

Inoichi, believing her, reached forward and took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. She set the flower down and took his other hand as he brought it up to his lips to press a kiss to the soft skin. "You mean that?"

She swallowed, blushing slightly at his gentleness and nodded. "I mean it. You've been patient. So incredibly patient. I know Im not the easiest person to deal with and Im sure you've wanted to run screaming in the opposite direction but… Im glad you didn't." She bit her lip at her words, surprised by just how much she meant it. He had been patient and understanding the past year, accepting that she could only offer friendship at first. But last month she'd decided enough was enough with her waiting on Kakashi to magically appear, repent and beg her to come back. And she's kissed him. Since then he had taken her out to dinner three times a week, spent time with Kasume, and been all around wonderful.

"There wasn't a moment when I would have run," he corrected her seriously, squeezing her hands. "You know how I feel about you, Sable. How I've always felt. This, us, it was worth the wait."

She smiled at his words and leaned across the table to kiss him, her fingers sliding from his hand across his cheek and into his tied up blonde hair. He was kind and generous. And he had opened his heart to Kasume, something very few people were able to do. Even if they didn't know who the father was, they sensed it was someone dark, and they knew she was the child of a criminal- just not which criminal. So when Inoichi had said it didn't matter who her father was, he loved her for her, Sable was sure there was something there she could rely on. Something she could hold on to.

Kakashi, who was on his way back from his meeting with Iruka, paused across the street from the shop where the two jonin sat. Kissing. He stood frozen for a moment, just staring. Asuma had mentioned something about Inoichi asking Sable out a while ago but he hadn't thought she'd say yes. He thought, if anything, she'd end up with Ibiki. Kami knows he'd asked her out enough. But Inoichi?

Inoichi wasn't her type. At all. She needed someone to make her laugh, to distract her from the crap baggage her job as an interrogator created. Someone who knew that her favorite food was anything chocolate. And that when she woke in the morning and stretched, a little mewing noise slipped out between her full red lips and if when she opened her eyes and didn't see him, her face would drop. Or that when she slept if she wasn't touching someone she would have those nightmares that lasted hours. Inoichi didn't know any of this. He didn't know Sable. Not the way that Kakashi did.

He watched, disconnected, as she pulled away from Inoichi, blushing and laughing at their public display. Inoichi for his part brushed his fingers along her cheekbone, his cool fingertips against the warm heat of her rouge cheeks. The simple action lit Kakashi's insides in pure jealousy and for the first time in years he felt the full force of his loss.

Asuma was right about one thing. This mission was his second chance. And he wasn't going to screw up again.

…

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! The plot's all set up! Haha well, thank you to the reviewers 3 and I hope you guys like the story so far! Im having a bit of fun with it from here on out.

Two things.

One: yes, you did read correctly. Kasume is Itachi's. and no, he has no idea…yet!  
and  
Two: Inoichi is Ino's father. Hes blonde, nicely built, and a total gentlemen. Since we never really hear about Ino's mother, I decided to use him as a nice foil to our perverted love Kakashi. =] Look Inoichi up, hes pretty great in his own right!

You guys know the drill- REVIEW and the faster the reviews come in the faster I post the next chapter! (Which will come in handy since next chapter is the start of the mission!)


	3. I So Hate Consequences

Hello All!

You guys reviewed so quickly, I kept my end of the deal and updated as soon as there was at least THREE reviews. If there are more reviews, the longer the chapter will be. This is the longest so far! Enjoy! 3

CHAPTER THREE: I So Hate Consequences

"Mommy, when are you coming back?" Kasume asked from Sable's hip, laying her head on her mother's shoulder. They stood with Inoichi in front of the Village gates, waiting for Kakashi. He should have been there ten minutes ago so they figured they would have at least another hour left to talk before Sable had to say goodbye to her daughter.

"Soon, baby. Soon. Until then you're going to stay with Inoichi, okay?" Sable tucked a lock of Kasume's jet-black hair behind her ear gently and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She may have made mistakes in the past but; Kasume was her one great success. Her daughter was sweet, happy and outgoing. The fact that the villagers had a tendency to handle her as if she were a stick of dynamite broke her heart. Inoichi's affection towards her was actually the most attractive thing about him to Sable.

"Are we going to live with Uncle Inoichi?" Kasume asked, picking her head up to look at her mother, bright onyx eyes hopeful.

Sable shot the jonin a nervous glance, unsure of how to respond, but he just laughed. "How about we consider our little adventure without Mommy as a test run? You don't want to live somewhere you don't like, right?" he asked the toddler, not ruffled by her question the slightest.

"Right," the young girl agreed." if I like it, then can we live with Uncle Inoichi, Mommy?" Kasume asked, looking up at her mother expectantly.

"Moving in already?" Kakashi asked as he turned the corner to join the threesome. "Didn't realize things were so serious."'

Inoichi nodded his head in greeting. "Kasume is just staying with me while Sable is away on the mission. Kurenai and Asuma are busy so I volunteered to watch her," he explained calmly.

"Uncle Inoichi said we can move in if I like it," Kasume informed Kakashi, who she now thought of as the man with the funny hair.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to stay with Inoichi?"

"Kasume loves Inoichi," Sable spoke up, feeling defensive of Kasume and Inoichi's relationship. "Inoichi has watched Kasume for me before. She enjoys spending time with him. Not that this is any of your business."

Kakashi turned to her, surprised at her quip. "I was only asking Kasume a question, Sable."

"Perhaps we should get going?" Inoichi suggested, hoping to defuse the situation.

"Okay," Sable agreed somewhat reluctantly. She moved Kasume to her center and hugged her tightly. "Mommy loves you, baby girl. You be good for Uncle Inoichi and when I come back home, we'll talk about that puppy you want, okay?"

"A puppy?" Kasume gasped in childish glee. "Really, Mommy?"

"Only if you're on your best behavior," Sable reminded her, knowing that the conditional part of the offer had gone right over her daughters head the moment puppy was mentioned. "Can you do that for me?"

Kasume bobbed her little head vigorously. "I'll be on my bestest behavior, Mommy! I promise. I'll be a good girl for Uncle Inoichi!" she vowed seriously, eyes bright as she attempted to sound like a big girl.

"Good. I love you, baby," Sable murmured, squeezing her tightly one more time before handing her over to Inoichi. He shifted her to his hip and smiled at Sable. She wondered briefly if he understood that he literally held her life in his arms.

"We'll be fine. Just be careful, alright?" he asked, voice tinted the slightest with worry. Sable smiled and hugged him. "Careful's my middle name. Take care of my baby, Inoichi," she instructed, voice hitching a bit. He noticed the catch and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. It was intimate and strong, clearly meant to serve also as a reminder to Kakashi that Sable was spoken for. When he finally broke the contact, he smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "We're going to be fine."

Sable swallowed and nodded before turning to Kakashi. "Let's get this over with."

Kakashi, who had turned away when Inoichi pulled Sable to him, turned back to her and dipped his head once. "Lets."

They headed out of the Village, through the gate. Sable stopped and watched Inoichi and Kasume wave and call "Goodbye, Mommy!" until the gate had completely closed between them. It took her a moment of reminding herself that she was doing this so that Kasume would grow up in an Akatsuki free world before she could bring herself to face the woods and Kakashi.

"Ready?"

Kakashi, by way of answer, headed into the trees, more than a little ticked at the scene with Inoichi.

Sable sighed and shook her head before jumping up after him, knowing better than to try and talk to him when he was upset.

…

Eleven completely silent hours of tree jumping later, they finally stopped to make camp for the night. For Sable, someone who completely abhorred silence and the thinking it inspired, it was agonizing. She unrolled her sleeping bag and sat down, stretching out her overworked legs, rubbing her calves through her black cargo pants. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to her knee, just breathing. She had not been sent on an out of Village mission in over a year. When Kasume was born she requested to have minimally absent missions, meaning she took over more of the interrogations and torture of criminals caught and brought into Konahagakure than assisting in the capture. The feel of branches beneath her feet and the never-ending green surrounding them seemed foreign after being away so long. It certainly felt foreign to her legs, unused to being worked so hard for so long.

Kakashi, used to the physical demand, sat on a log by the fire, feeding it dry twigs to keep the smoke to a minimum, seemingly unaffected by the silence. He unrolled his sleeping bag and returned to the fire, eye closed. Finally, after about half an hour he glanced up at her questioningly.

She knew that look. Moaning she held out her hand, palm facing upwards. "What is it?"

"Inoichi, really?" he asked a second later.

Sable exhaled deeply and drew her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them, her usual thinking pose. She had wondered how long it would take him to bring it up."Yes. Inoichi. I am allowed to have a sex life, Kakashi. It's been four years," she reminded him.

Kakashi's eye narrowed at the thought of her having any sex life at all, especially with Inoichi, who he had already decided was completely wrong for her. "It's serious?"

Sable bobbed her head slightly. "It's getting there. I mean, he is great with Kasume and he's…patient. I need patient."

"Since when?" he asked, confused. She had always been a handful, but that was just her personality. She was adventurous and rebellious, with a playful streak that could not be broken. Nevertheless, none of that called for patience. It called for an appreciation of life and a sense of humor.

"Since Itachi," she murmured, looking away from him to the fire. Suddenly she shook her head and straightened up, clearing her throat. "Look, I don't….can we not make this mission personal? I just want to get in, get the information and get the hell back home to my girl. Its going to take us another day of travel to get to the inn if we keep the pace we did today. By tomorrow night we'll be checked into the room beside Takaede. "

"This mission is completely personal, Sable," Kakashi, argued matter of factly.

"You haven't said two words to me in four years, and now all of a sudden you care who I'm sleeping with? No. That is not how it works. There is nothing personal between us. Not anymore."

"You're sleeping with him?"

Sable rolled her eyes and tossed a rock at his overgrown head of hair. "Didn't I just get done saying that was none of your business?"

Kakashi dodged the projectile easily, smirking under his mask. She was starting to loosen up, even if only a little. "So you want to sit here in silence all night?"

She sighed and cracked her knuckles, something that drove Kakashi insane. She grinned when she saw him give her his "I hate when you do that" glare. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"

"You remember that game we played the first mission we went on?" he asked, looking at her over the fire.

She smiled slightly at the memory. "You ask me a question, I get to ask you one. Got you to open up," she recalled aloud proudly. That had been her first serious mission outside of an interrogation room and when she learned she would be teamed up with the stoic and perverted Kakashi Hatake she had been beyond nervous. He had been quiet the first two days except for mission talk. When she'd first suggested the game he'd looked at her as if she were crazy. However, after admitting a few incredibly embarrassing facts about herself, he opened up. By the end of the night he was even laughing.

"Let's try that."

She hesitated a moment, sure she would hate the questions but, needing some answers herself, she consented. "Alright. Three questions each. That's all."

He nodded, "Agreed. I'll go first."

"Greeaattt. Okay, fine. Shoot."

"Are you sleeping with Inoichi?" he asked bluntly, the idea obviously bothering him.

Sable considered lying for a fraction of a second, to spare his feelings. But he had been the one to walk away. He had left her. "Yes," he opened his mouth to answer a second question but she held her hand up. "For a few weeks. We've been together a little over a month."

Kakashi took a moment to digest the knowledge, careful to mask any of the emotions he felt, like jealousy. Sable was no prude, but for her to take a relationship as far as her bed, she had to see it going somewhere. "Your turn."

"Do you regret it?" she asked right away. The question had plagued her for years and she was never one to hold her tongue when something was on her mind.

Kakashi was taken aback, having forgotten just how abrupt she could be. After a moment, he replied solemnly, "From the moment the door closed behind me." He watched as she attempted to hide the flash of hurt that crossed her face.

She dipped her head slightly, acknowledging his honesty. "Good. You screwed up."

He let out a small laugh at her response. Yes, yes he had. Second question: "Are you happy?"

"Yes," she answered immediately, thinking of Kasume. "Kasume is amazing. Shes strong, and smart and sweet- so sweet. When she smiles, her entire face lights up and you cant help but smile too. Her little laugh is just as contagious. We made cookies the other night and made such a mess. If this was before she was born, the mess would have killed me," she laughed, just thinking about their little cooking making adventure. "But I made a game out of cleaning it and it was almost as fun as actually making it. By the time we were done the both of us were covered in flour and sugar and had batter in our hair. The next night we decided to have a movie night at home and we had hot cocoa and marshmallows and she fell asleep in my lap. She's so beautiful, she looks like a doll when she's asleep and- " She stopped, realizing she was rambling and blushed. "Yes," she concluded. "Im happy."

Kakashi was silent for a few minutes, trying to integrate this new Sable with the memory of the one he fell in love with. This Sable had the haunted look of someone who had been hurt badly. Her smile only seemed to reach her eyes when she spoke of Kasume. Well, from what he could tell so far. They had only just started talking again.

"Besides Kasume, are you happy?" he asked, clarifying. But Sable could read between the lines. _Are you happy without me?_

"Is that your third question?" she asked cautiously.

"Hai."

"Sometimes…I miss us. The way we were. But that's the same as you missing Obito. Even if he came back right now, it wouldn't be the same. We wouldn't be the same. You should know that. You're the one that walked away," her voice was thick and she had to swallow to prevent from saying any more. She missed him a lot more than sometimes, truthfully. She had never been the type to curl up and stop living because her heart was broken. If she was that type, she would have died a long time ago. Shit happens but you deal with it. You cry, you scream, you hurt, and then you wash your face, drink a cup of tea and go to work. Because the world doesn't stop for a broken heart, and it neither would she.

"What do you want me to say, Sable?" he asked, finding it hurt him to think she thought of their relationship the same way he thought of his dead friend.

"You only get three questions, Hatake," she told him, laying down and facing away from the fire. "Wake me when it's my watch."

"You still have two questions."

"I'm saving them," she informed him in a mumble, closing her eyes.

"Goodnight, Sable." He stayed perched on the log, watching her sides rise and fall, gradually slowing as she fell asleep. He wondered if she still had nightmares, if they were the same. If she did, he was sure he would be there, the way he used to be. Like he should have been theses past four years.

…

About two hours later he heard it- the beginning of one of her nightmares. They still started the same apparently, with a whimper. She had always handed pain better than anyone he knew- emotional and physical. But in her sleep she was vulnerable.

He watched as she whimpered again and rolled over so that she was facing him. Her brows were knitted and the corners of her lips were turned down in a pained frown. Suddenly she gasped, her chest spasming futilely in an attempt to allow oxygen into her lungs. Her hands formed shaking fists as her muscles twitched. She looked restrained-held down by some invisible bonds. Again she gasped, this one clearly a gasp of pain. Her hand flew to her chest and she clawed at the cotton fitted tee she wore as if it was the cause of her distress. She froze abruptly, her whole body unmoving. Slowly she began to tremble. Her lips pressed into tight lines and only moved to release a whimper or cry of pain.

Kakashi stood and moved over to her, gently lifting her head and laying it in his lap. He brushed her hair from her sweaty brow, the motion seeming to calm her rapid heartbeat. He softly caressed her terrified face, running tender fingertips along her jaw and cheeks. Eventually, thanks to his touch, the tremors subsided completely and she fell into a more restful sleep.

Her nightmares had never been of her being tortured before. They usually only consisted of her crying, remembering a torture session that she'd had to make particularly brutal to retrieve the information needed. Those nightmares were her conscience. These….these were her memories. The thought of her suffering awake the way she did when asleep tore at his heart.

The knowledge that the whole time she had been waiting for him to save her was killing him.

…

There we have it! The mission is officially afoot and Kakashi is starting to realize just how badly he messed up four years ago.

NEXT UP: We learn the details of the mission and we meet Takaede as the mission truly begins!

You guys know the drill, you've been really great with fast reviews- the faster the reviews, the faster the update. Ive kept my word, you guys do your part!  
Thank you to those that reviewed, this chapter is only up because of you!


	4. Let You Down

Hello all. Its time to meet Takaede and really get this mission going!

CHAPTER FOUR: Let You Down

"The inn is about another hour away," Sable called over to Kakashi, who was flanking her right side. "Now's a good time to stop and finalize our strategy." She stopped running to jump down between the branches rather than across them, landing with a soft thud on the mossy forest floor.

After a moment Kakashi dropped down beside her. "The inn is only fifteen minutes away,' he corrected, confused.

"Not if we're walking. Which is what we'll be doing the rest of the way," she informed him, setting her pack down on the moist soil. "Our story is I'm the daughter of Tuomo Higarashi, someone Tsunade has set up a while ago as one of Konoha's leaks for the Akatsuki. I was attacked, now I've been sent away for my protection with you as my lone bodyguard."

"Right. This doesn't explain the walking."

"Well, one, I need time to change so we had to stop before we got there anyway. Two, Im just the daughter of a shinobi-not one myself. I shouldn't be able to run for days. I walk. I do things slowly and indulgently. And three, I need some time to get used to this new pace.," she explained, rooting through her bag for a moment before unearthing a few articles of clothing and a small container.

Kakashi glanced from the container to her curiously. "What is it?"

She stared down at the small vine colored oval before looking up at him. "You'll see." She unfolded the first article of clothing, a bright white lace and cotton sundress. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, knowing that white was one of her least favorite colors. Sable had always preferred black and purple.

She just shrugged. "It looks young. Takaede will like it."

"Im sure he will," he mumbled, having never really taken well to that whole "girlfriend seduces information out of criminals" aspect to Sable's position. But she was the only kuniochi in the interrogation unit of ANBU besides Anko and Anko wasn't trained in covert covers the way Sable was.

She simply rolled her eyes, used to his bouts of jealousy. "Alright, turn around, I've got to change."

He just grinned at her, the only indication the slight crinkling around his eye. She glared, though without any real malice.

"Kakashi, Im serious."

"Nothing I haven't seen before," he reminded her wickedly.

She laughed and shook her head. "You haven't changed- not one bit, Hatake." She turned around and shrugged out of her cargo pants and tank top, leaving her in just her bra and underwear.

Normally that would have been enough to distract Kakashi completely, but what caught his attention this time was her skin. More specifically, the long slashes across her back from should to hip. Kakashi counted five of them. Accompanying them were a myriad of short thin scars that followed the path of her spine. The rest of her porcelain skin was untouched, the lines of scars the only imperfections.

Sable heard his silence loud and clear. For a moment, just a moment, she had forgotten about her permanent reminders of what Itachi was capable of. She spun slowly to face him, the shock in his eye embarrassing her. "The poultice-Shizune gave it to me for missions. It covers the scars. Takaede would know something was off if he saw them on me."

"Itachi did that?" Kakashi asked, voice dark and tight, taking the conversation where she wouldn't.

"Yes, among other things. Look, I've gotten over it. I just cant let Takaede see them, if he does this whole thing is blown. I need you to rub the poultice in. Can you stop staring long enough to do that?"

"You were pregnant when he did this." It wasn't a question.

"Shit happens," she shrugged, as if it wasn't something that tortured her every night.

"This is what you were dreaming about last night." Again, not a question.

This time it was her turn to be surprised. "I did? Why didn't you wake me?"

"I never woke you when you had a nightmare," he reminded her, voice gentle now rather than angry. He watched her expression change from surprise to longing. She did remember then. She hadn't forgotten all of it- of them.

He stepped forward to tug her closer to him, arm snaking around her waist. Her chest was pressed against his, her bare abdomen tickled by the feel of his thick ves but she allowed th contact, not pulling away. She looked up at him, vulnerable in that moment in a way she hadn't been in a very long time. Her gaze travelled down to his masked lips, which were mere inches from her bare ones. All she had to do was reach up and pull that mask down…

It was then she remembered the touch of his calloused fingers brushing away her sweaty hair, his lips pressing against her forehead tenderly. She remembered the feeling of safety he instilled. However, she also remembered the first nights she had suffered through without him, waking up in the hospital calling out for him, hoping foolishly he would come running to quiet those new terrifying demons. But he never came, she had suffered alone. She had learned her lesson.

Shaking her head and snapping out of the little trance she'd been in she pushed him away, hugging her bare waist. "Don't do that," she demanded with difficulty.

"Why not?" he asked, pretending he wasnt disappointed by her withdrawal.

"Because I said so. Now don't do it again. Just rub the poultice in so we can get on with this. " She handed him the jar and gave him her back, undoing her bra strap to give him access to all of the scars.

He held the jar in his hand for a moment, just staring at the scars, memorizing every single one of them. He knew they weren't something he would ever forget. Finally, silently, he unscrewed the lid and began rubbing the cream colored poultice into each one of the lines of raised skin.

It was a painstakingly long process, the number of scars hitting forty two before he was done. "How long?" he asked as he finished the last long line that ran from just below the end of her ribcage to the center of the small of her back. Taking a step back he was surprised at how flawless her back looked. Like it had when they had been together- without a single imperfection.

"A week before the sharingan. I don't know how long after that. Time…it slips away from you in there. You know. Seconds feel like weeks, minutes like months and hours like years. It felt like a lifetime. It was only about two weeks in regular time," she answered, voice low but strong. Itachi hadn't broken her, hadn't won. Why wallow when she walked away with Kasume? It had never been what Itachi had done to her that broke her heart, it had been the memory of Kakashi looking at her like she was someone else and then walking through the hospital doors, leaving her there alone that shattered her.

"I'm going to kill him," Kakashi vowed, voice heavy with conviction.

She turned, holding her bra in place with her hand. "That is my right. Not yours. He did this to me. Not you. Don't be pissed at Itachi because you screwed up. We ended because of you, not because I was pregnant with his kid,. Uchiha did not destroy what we had. You walked away from it, from me and from everything we had," she said seriously, words laced with the anger she'd been repressing.

He blinked, shocked. "Theres no fixing this?" he asked finally, not knowing what else to say. He knew he had messed up, but before this mission, he hadn't known just how much. He had assumed she was able to deal with everything without a hitch since she had looked so put together everytime he saw her after she was released from the hospital. He had asked Kurenai about her everyday, even if he couldn't ask her himself. Not when everytime he looked at her all he could think was that she had conceived a child with Itachi Uchiha.

"Right now, no. I don't see that there is. Besides," she said as she reclasped her bra and slipped the cotton dress over her head. "Im with Inoichi now. Don't think just because I know how good you look under that mask of yours im just going to drop everything and everyone to take you back." She had reigned in her anger and locked it up somewhere deep inside her. They had a mission to complete and she had a daughter to return to.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think I can trust you."

"This mission will fail if you cant trust me with your life, Sable. You know that."

"Oh, I trust you with my life, Kakashi. Its my heart Im not letting you near," she told him, letting her hair down before throwing him her pack and resuming her walk towards the inn, sundress swaying inticingly with every swing of her perfectly curvy hips.

…

"Hi how may I help you?" the innkeeper asked Sable courteously.

He stood behind a mahogany desk topped with elaborate marble counter tops that served as the focal point of the rather large lobby of the inn. All around them buzzed the hum of busy lives as men and women ran from here to there, many of them dressed in attires suggesting power and wealth. This was no inn by the side of the road. It was an incredibly expensive hotel and Sable could only smile at the thought of how much it must cost to rent a room for a week here

"My name is Ami Higarashi. My father booked a room for me for a week," Sable supplied, voice sweet and playful. "Im sure you haven't forgotten who my father is, have you?" That last part she allowed her voice to be tinted with the barely there threat that a child of those in power were born with. She was to be one of those accustomed to never hearing the word 'no'. Kakashi noted just how well she played her part.

At the last name Higarashi, the old man's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, no! Of course I haven't, Ami-sama. Your room is the suite on the third floor." He quickly pulled a key from one of the velvet lined draws beneath the normal room key docks.

Sable smiled at his reaction and took the keys his outstretched hand offered, handing them to Kakashi, who had remained silent the entire walk there. "Oooo, a suite? Daddy was right, Kato, I think I am going to love this vacation," she gushed to Kakashi, hand on his arm she smiled indulgently.

Kakashi just bowed his head. He had removed his forehead protector and now a thin black eye patch sat over his sharingan eye. Covering his face was now a relatively thin beard, just a bit longer than a five oclock shadow. His entire outfit consisted of a black long sleeved cotton shirt, a black vest that he left unzipped and equally dark cargo pants and a scowl. He very much looked the part of annoyed bodyguard.

Seated in the corner, watching every move Sable made since the moment she walked in the door was Takaede. She had caught his eye as she walked in, her curly raven hair bouncing as she stepped and the skirt of her white sundress swaying tantalizingly. She was beautiful. Moreover, if he had heard correctly, she was also the daughter of an associate. For someone in his line of business, finding a woman who could deal with the risks of his job was not the easiest past time. Seeing as Ami knew of her father's business, Takaede thought she was worth a trial run at least.

Sable, who had seen Takaede watching her, pretended not to notice, instead flirting teasingly with Kakashi, who was finding it harder and harder to remain stoic and gruff in the face of her affections.

"Kato, bring my bags upstairs then meet me by the bar. Im going to get a drink to celebrate," she instructed, waving him off suddenly as they rounded the corner and the bar became visible.

Kakashi stiffened. "Your father has ordered that you not be left alone, Ami-sama."

Sable merely flicked her wrist. "Im sure I'll be fine at the bar. It will only take you a moment to put the bags down, Kato. Stop being such a prude," she chastised, already walking away from him to hop up on one of the bar stools. Kakashi held his tongue and headed towards the elevator, stopping only to watch as Takaede stood and followed Sable. He barely contained a glare as he decided to take the stairs instead. They were there two minutes and already that traitor was drooling over Sable.

Along with several other men, he noticed when he returned to the bar. Surrounded by four men, Sable sat laughing and flirting, occasionally laying a land on their arms or shoulders. Each time she initiated contact, whichever man she had touched would move in closer. Half of them were twice her age, he observed with a low growl.

After an hour of drinking and giggling he Stalked towards her and grabbed her arm. "I think you've had enough to drink, Ami-sama, I believe it is time for you to rest. It has been a long journey," he directed, voice tense.

Sable simply shrugged his hand off her arm. "We've done nothing but stare at trees and dirt all day, Kato. I am not a child, I don't need a nap. I need another drink. What do you think, gentlemen? Doesn't another round sound fabulous?" she asked, much to the glee of the men around her. The bar tender poured another round of shots and Sable downed hers with a relish, to Takaede's obsevamt amusement.

He hadn't approached her yet, simply watched her drink and laugh. She had an infectious laugh, he had decided early on. The way her whole body bounced when she hiccupped was decidedly cute and the parts that bounced the most, they were decidedly sexy. In all, she was stunning and exotic, with her blueish purple irises. She had completely captured his attention.

Kakashi grabbed her arm again. "Your father would not approve."

Before Sable had a chance to reply, Takaede stepped in, grabbing Kakashi's wrist. "I believe the lady said she didn't feel like retiring just yet. Why don't you go stand in the corner like a good body guard and keep your mouth shut?"

Sable laughed merrily as Kakashi reluctantly released her arm. He had to remind himself they were on a mission and she had a cover to play, as did he. He was starting to remember why he hated missions with Sable so much- she somehow was always assigned the role of flirty femme fatale and he was always the one her cover was running from.

"Thank you! Someone gets it!" she cheered gratefully. "He's always such a grump. Is it a crime for me to want to relax and let loose once in a while?" she asked Takaede, downing another shot before sliding off the barstool without waiting for an answer.

Takaede laughed at her bravado and shook his head. "Not at all. You know, I am actually well acquainted with your father. He's spoken of you often," he informed her as he helped her steady herself.

Sable's brow arched in mock surprise. "Really? You're one of Daddy's associates? They aren't usually so handsome," she complimented seriously. "They're usually old and cranky. You look like neither of those things… Whats your name?"

"Call me Takaede, Ami," the criminal introduced, taking her hand to press a kiss to it, making Sable smile coyly.

"Well, Takaede. You sure are a charmer. But Im sure Kato is right and Daddy wont be so thrilled with me drinking in an unprotected hotel bar," she leaned forward to whisper something in his ear and pretended to loss her balance, allowing Takaede to catch her, wrapping both arms around her waist and holding her to him.

She stared up unashamedly, taking in his features. His nose was straight and poised, accompanied by two dark drown orbs of burnt honey for eyes. They stared right back at her, openly surprised by her so obviously checking him out. His hair- as pitch black as hers- was long enough that some wisps rested against his strong jawline, the rest framing his incredibly handsome aristocratic face. Sable found herself thinking she could have done a lot worse target wise; he certainly left little to be desired, a bonus since she was going to have to seduce him.

She smiled at him, a huge coy curve of her full lips. "You are definitely cuter than any of Daddy's other friends."

"And you are definitely more beautiful than any other woman here," Takaede replied, straightening her though not releasing her from his arms.

"Im going to be honest, Takaede. I think the sake is starting to hit me so Im a little drunk and Kato looks really angry. But if they weren't, then I would definitely want you to ask me to join you for dinner tonight," her sake laced breath ghosted across his face in a cool wave and he felt intoxicated himself by the overwhelming scent of her, the sake and the jasmine scent that wafted over him everytime she moved her hair. Her warm soft curves held against his taunt chest was incredibly inviting.

So he nodded, and leaned in to whisper in her ear "You take a nap, sleep it off. Then ditch your body guard and meet me in the suite on the second floor." He let his lips just barely brushed her cheek as he pulled away and released her.

She had the good grace to blush and gave him a conspiratorial wink before allowing Kakashi to grab her arm and lead her to the elevator.

…

Once they were in the room, Kakashi exploded. "What the hell was that?"

Sable just frowned, confused. "That was me getting the mission started. I want to get into his room and out with those shipping papers as quickly as possible, Kakashi. What are you so pissed about?"

"You literally just threw yourself at him." He was pacing now, rolling his shoulders.

"You're _jealous?_ Are you kidding me?" she asked incredulously, sitting on the edge of the bed to remove her heels. "I just got us in his room TONIGHT and you're pissed?"

"No, you got _you_ into his room tonight, Sable. What happened to your whole 'seduction is plan b' philosophy? Now you just jump into bed with them the first night?"

She jumped up, angry now too. "I can sleep with whomever I want, Hatake! You have no right to even be jealous! _You _left _me_, remember? I just want to get those papers and get the hell out of here so I can go home to Kasume."

"And Inoichi," he growled under his breath.

"Yes, and Inoichi! Because he's the one that's been fixing all the shit you broke!" she screamed, chest heaving now.

And there it was. He had left her broken and alone and scared and in pain and she couldn't get past it.

"You left me alone in that hospital room the moment you found out I was pregnant with Itachi's baby. You looked at me like I was tainted, Kakashi. Did you ever once stop to think how I felt? Huh? Just once think maybe I needed you?" she demanded, eyes shining with tears now.

He stopped pacing and just stared at her. Yes, he had thought of that. But he didn't think he could be what she needed. Not then. Every time he looked at her he thought of how he had failed her. Slowly, he reached out to her, to pull her to him. But she slapped his hand away, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

"No. Don't. I am going to get those files any way I can as fast as I can. And you are going to shut up and deal with it because you no longer have a say in whose bed I spend the night in. Now get the hell out so I can sleep." Her voice was emotionless as she held the door open. "Do a perimeter sweep or something. Just get out."

Wordlessly he reached out to her again, this time catching her wrist when she attempted to smack his hand away. "Im sorry," he said quietly, not sure of what else to say.

She looked up at him, her eyes infinitely tired. "Me too, Hatake. Me too. Now please get out so I can get ready for tonight?"

Reluctantly he let go of her hand and stepped out the door. Before she closed it, however, he promised "I'm going to fix this."

…

There you go! The longest chapter so far! Our Sable has worked her magic quickly, it seems. Maybe this mission will be over before they think.

NEXT UP: Kakashi starts working on fixing what he broke and Sable has dinner with the infamous Takaede.

You guys know the drill! REVIEW and leave suggestions, questions, comments and critiques!

The next chapter starts getting written when I have three reviews and the more reviews, the better the chapter! Tell me what you guys think/want to see happen!


	5. Natural

Hello All 3

Last chapter we met Takaede, and Sable quickly caught his attention. And he caught Kakashi's glare! Now its time for Sable to make a few decisions- both with the mission and Kakashi.

CHAPTER FIVE: Natural

Sable knew she was in trouble the moment she shut the door on Kakashi. He was right; she was rushing things. Usually, if she followed her own protocol, she wouldn't initiate contact with the target until at least the second day. But here she was, an hour in and already invited to his room for dinner.

Sighing, she slid a hand through her long hair, closing her eyes. Not only was she in jeopardy of botching a mission that had just started but she'd also freaked on Kakashi, whom she was sure thought she was a madwoman now. She had never done overemotional well.

"Alright, girl," she told herself aloud, moving so she stood in front of the mirror. "Time to get your shit together. Apologize to Kakashi, move the hell on and get over him leaving. He cant undo it and you survived. Stop whining. Then get your ass in gear and get Takaede the right way. No more screw ups, got it? Good."

Forcing a smile she watched as her eyes brightened a little, responding to her own pep talk. She reached out and undid the ponytail holding up her dark hair, allowing the raven curls to cascade down to her shoulders, framing her delicate face. It had been a while since she had let her hair down- getting food in it was one of the occupational hazards of being mother to a three and a half year old. Objectively, she could see what the men she seduced saw. She had large bright ice blue eyes- but tinted violet around the edges of her irises. And she had full lips with a nice shape. Kakashi had called them kissable once. Sable nodded, accepting that description. With her hair down though, she looked much less pretty. She looked…sensual. Which was a foreign feeling since she had Kasume. It was hard to feel sexy when you were covered in food or baby throw up. Now, however, Takaede would appreciate the implications of slightly unruly hair. She could seduce him with one 'come hither' look from below her think lashes, she thought with a grim smile.

Seducing Takaede wasn't the mission, though. Getting the proof of his treachery and information that kept them one step of the Akatsuki was the objective. She knew no matter what, she wasn't going to get those documents tonight. In order to do that she needed Takaede to be asleep and she needed to be in the room with him. Whatever he had planned for tonight, it wasn't the 'fall asleep together after the sex' kind of party. She would definitely be expected to retreat to her own room afterward. It was too soon. She couldn't interrogate him just yet- she had no idea what the right questions to ask were. She would only get one chance to do it right, without sinking to torture, which to her, was always to be seen as a last resort.

She squared her shoulders, watching as her reflection mirrored her movements. She could fix this. She would slow things down. Let him know she wanted a little fun but wasn't that easy. Give him a challenge. Men like him always appreciated those.

There, she had a plan. Plans she could work with. Later, though, she decided, rolling her achy shoulders. Now she just wanted to sink into a hot bath. Baths fixed everything, from heartaches to botched missions. Five minutes later the tub was almost full and the air was heavy with the aroma of rose petals. Slowly, she stepped into the tub, the hot water stinging her vulnerable skin. Limb by limb her muscles uncoiled and her bones settled, a soft sigh escaping her lips as her eyes slid shut. No matter her occupation, she was still a woman and therefore completely unimmune to the magic of a rose scented bath.

Yeah, she had time to kill before Takaede expected her anyway. A little bath was all she needed.

….

Kakashi stood at the door twenty minutes later, watching her sleep. He had returned about half an hour after their argument and found her fast asleep, head tipped back against the edge of the tub. The air was moist and heavy with the heady fragrance of roses and lavender, presumably from the soap that provided a bubbly film atop the water, shielding Sable's naked body from exposure.

He didn't care too much. It wasn't her body he was gazing so intently at. It was her face. She seemed to be genuinely resting, for the first time since the mission had begun she appeared content. Her eyes were closed softly, her lips parted slightly and her forehead completely wrinkle free. A grin crawled across his face -a natural response to seeing her looking so much like her old self.

Sable had always been one for tub time. After every mission or hard day she would walk into their apartment, kiss him on the cheek and run inside to start the bath water, using the time it took for the tub to fill to gather her bath salts and fragrant soaps. As soon as the tub filled with the steaming water she would strip and step in, moaning in contentment as she sunk to the bottom.

Deciding she needed the rest, but probably shouldn't stay in the tub so long, he pulled the plug, letting the water drain. He grabbed a towel and wrapped her in it before gently lifting her, making sure not to wake her, his chakra flow calm and steady. The slightest spike would wake her. Remaining as steady as possible, he took slow, deliberate and careful steps towards the bed. What felt like ages later, he laid her down atop the comforter, making sure the towel stayed tied around her. If she woke naked, he would be in deep shit.

Her wet hair reminded him of the first time he had met the unforgettable kunoichi.

_He was frozen, lost in thought and perched on the wall of the cemetery, just staring at Obito's grave marker. It was pouring rain and Kakashi was sure he was the only one out. The constant sheets of water had managed the impossible and his hair lay oppressively flat against his bowed head. _

"_Crazy isn't it?" a soft feminine voice asked from behind him, startling him. Which was a first for the jonin. Kakashi shook his head and turned, figuring he must have been too absorbed in his thoughts to notice the kunoichi's chakra. Or she was just that talented at masking it. Either way, it had been an off day for him and he wasnt in the mood for company._

"_The rain or the graves?" he asked, voice uninterested. _

"_That everything a person was, their likes and dislikes, their smile, their laugh, their eyes, Their hopes and dreams, their stupid jokes-all of it- amounts to nothing but a grave that floods in the rain," she explained, moving so she was crouched beside him without looking at him. _

_He glanced over at her, taking in her long ink colored hair plastered to her face and neck. Her eyes were arresting in their brightness. They seemed as light as a Hyuuga's but hers were the color of ice-just barely blue but not void of color enough to be white, and ringed with a deep lavender that darkened as it reached out to the rest of her eye. She was slight, only about an inch or two above five feet, and curvy in a way that he was sure had men watching her walk out of a room. All in all, she was almost exotic in her mysterious beauty._

"_You believe that?" he asked, finally responding to her opening statement, intrigued despite himself._

_She nodded. "I wouldn't say something unless I believed it," she told him seriously, gaze focused on a grave towards the other side of the cemetery. She looked like she had been crying recently, though Kakashi couldn't be sure with the drops of rain running down her cheeks. "My husband is buried there," she offered, pointing to a grave with remnants of wilted orchids in front of it._

"_Im sorry," Kakashi supplied dutifully. She looked no older than a teenager, too young to be a widow, even in a hidden village. _

" _Its been six months and Ive only visited twice. Does that make me a bad person?" she asked suddenly, looking up at him for the first time, eyes troubled at the thought, not replying to his apology. She had heard enough of them, he suspected._

_He returned her stare for a moment, unsure of what to say. Finally, he decided on "I come here everyday but that doesn't make me a good person."_

_She nodded slowly, accepting this answer as she turned her attention back to the grave. "Everyday, huh? I thought about that when Kai died- the whole mourning wife spending her days beside his grave thing. But… Im only 19, I haven't died. I miss him, sure. I miss his voice and his touch, his crazy need to have everything clean and neat. And it hurts to think about what we would have had but…if I had died, I would have wanted him to live his life. To be glad he was alive. You know?" Her voice was earnest now, almost desperate. She needed someone to understand, someone to tell her she wasn't cold or wrong for smiling when Kai no longer could, even if it was a stranger in a cemetery._

_Kakashi stared at her silently, understanding what she meant. "I do," he replied simply, watching as relief flooded her features, wrinkles of worry disappearing, substantiating her story of being so young. _

"_I think everyone wants me to still be sad and I feel like maybe I should. Its just…Im not. I miss Kai. I really do. I loved him a lot. More than I've ever loved anything or anyone. He wanted to have kids, you know, the whole big family thing. I didn't really but I would have anyway. For him."_

_Kakashi was quiet, just listening. He felt that was what she needed to do, to be heard._

"_I don't think I would be so great as a mom. I mean, I love to travel. I love adventure and action. But if Kai wanted kids, I would have done it. I really would have," she looked up at him insistently. "I could have tried. I think in the end I would have been pretty alright. I bet our kids would have looked like him. He was blonde, you know. They would have been beautiful. Kai would have been the best father. He was patient. Im kind of…less stable that way. But Im dependable, don't get me wrong. I would have been there. I think they would have liked him more. They would have known he was the better parent. Kids can tell those things," she told him, sniffling without realizing she was crying. _

"_He had such stupid jokes. And the worst pick up lines," she laughed, wiping her nose with her soaked sleeve. "He took me in when I had no one else. His arms were that safe place where nothing could ever go wrong. I never had that before. I wouldn't have given up training for anyone other than him. He was perfect….and now hes gone and Im stuck in this place between doing what I want to, what makes me happy and what I should because its what everyone expects. This wouldn't be happening if he hadn't died." The distressed young woman attempted to reign in her tears, shaking her head at her own circumstance. After a few minutes of struggling she managed to stop crying and look determined instead, clearly she had come to a decision._

"_You know what?" she asked abruptly._

"_What?" Kakashi asked, more than a little intrigued by this small stranger._

"_I'm going to do what makes me happy. Im going to start training again. Kai would want me to be happy. Everyone else, well they can shove their disapproval where the sun don't shine because I don't care what they think. I never use to, so why start now, right?"_

"_Makes sense," Kakashi agreed, suppressing a chuckle at her tiny but fierce attitude._

"_Your person, whoever they were, would they want you to come here every day?" she asked after about an hour of companionable silence. There had been several times he was sure she was crying but each time she had wiped her tears and steeled herself, forcing a smile. _

_Kakashi shook his head slightly. "No. I do it because I owe him my life, not because he would want me to."_

"_I think that maybe spending everyday among the dead might not be the best way to show him how grateful you are to be alive," she said thoughtfully before standing. "Life is for the living. And you aren't living unless you're happy. You cant be happy if you dwell on everything that you've lost or everything that hurts or makes you angry. You just have to move on, make yourself smile and maybe one day it wont be so forced."_

"_I'll take that into consideration," he promised._

_She nodded, took a deep breath and tucked her drenched hair behind her ears, shivering a little. "Also, you might want to get out of this rain before you end up in the ground next to whoever it is you lost. I know if I had saved your life, I'd be pissed if it was all just so you could catch your death staring at my grave in the rain. "_

_Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, amused. She was definitely the most interesting thing to happen to him that day. _

"_Are you smiling?" she asked, the thought making her curious as she crouched beside him again, this time staring intently at his good eye. "You are!" she exclaimed in surprise, having noticed the slight crinkle beneath his eye. "Hmm, I guess I had you figured wrong. You aren't nearly as serious as I thought if you're smiling at the thought of dying in the rain," she laughed._

_Kakashi blinked, surprised by her change in mood. She had been crying only minutes ago over her husband, and now here she was laughing at his smile. A smile she couldn't even see._

"_I hadn't realized you had me figured at all," he replied, sure they hadn't met before. He would not have forgotten meeting this woman-whoever she was., that much he was sure of. _

"_Well, I guess that's my fault for making assumptions about a person I just met. But, you have to admit, you would think that someone who visits a gravesight everyday would probably not be the life of the party," she explained as she fixed her soaked tank top. "Well, anyway. Think about my whole 'not dying in the rain' thing, huh?"_

_When he nodded, the amused smile still in place, she gave him a short wave and turned. _

"_Oh and…Thanks. For…you know, not telling me to leave," she added over her shoulder, voice softer, less playful. When he nodded his 'you're welcome' she leapt off the wall, disappearing into the grey curtain of precipitation. _

Kakashi smiled at the memory. He had never brought that night up, neither had she. Sometimes he wondered if she even remembered it. She had never mentioned Kai to him when they were together. Kurenai had told him she had been raised as a shinobi but married young and left the life to play homemaker, until her husband had died mysteriously in a fire while she was buying supplies in another town. From what he could gather, they hadn't even found a body. Sable had buried ashes from their burned down home in the grave she had gone to visit that night.

That night in the rain at the cemetery was the first night he had fallen asleep thinking about her. And when he had been assigned to accompany her on their first mission six months later he had acted as if he hadn't remembered her, though he was sure there was a gleam of recognition in those eyes of hers. The whole mission he kept thinking back to what she said, about life being for the living. She had seemed more closed off with any personal details, though she was damn sure determined to know all of his. But she had been happy, smiling and teasing him the whole mission. She was holding true to her resolution to be happy. And that was the most attractive thing he had ever seen in his life.

Yawning, he realized that watching Sable sleep had given his body ideas he should have argued against. Ripping off the fake beard and rubbing his sore face, he kicked off his shoes and slipped out of his vest, lying it on a chair in the corner. Then he made a decision he may or may not regret in the morning and laid down on the bed beside Sable, covering them both with the blanket, thinking of the young girl he had met in the rain who he would never forget and the woman sleeping beside him that he couldn't get over.

…

"Kakashi, wake up," Sable sighed, nudging the sleeping jonin. He simply groaned and rolled over, still asleep.

"Im serious, Hatake. Its three in the morning, I've missed my dinner with Takaede-who's probably beyond pissed, and you're in my bed," she said as she slipped a nightgown over her head, dropping the towel beneath it. She was going to have a lot of explaining to do tomorrow and she wanted to get as much rest as possible before the next day started. Her attitude had absolutely nothing to do with the shock of waking up naked except for a towel beside Kakashi. Nothing at all.

"Go back to sleep, Sable," he grumbled the next time she poked him.

"You're in my bed," she reminded him impatiently.

"Never a problem before," he retorted, pulling the cover up over his shoulder before falling back asleep.

Sable glared at the back of his head, not amused. Inoichi would most definitely not approve of her sharing a bed with Kakashi; even if they were both dressed. She could always go take his bed in the adjoining room. But that would be letting him win. Besides, her bed looked so much more comfortable. Which completely had nothing to do with who was sleeping in it. That was what she told herself anyway.

Finally, giving in on a various levels, she climbed back into bed beside him. At first she stayed towards her edge, determined not to touch him. However, soon he was on his back and their bare arms were brushing. His skin was perfectly warm, soft and altogether far too inviting. Trying to ignore the small knot in her stomach, she rolled onto her side, facing away from him, towards the window. A moment later she was surprised to feel his arm slide around her waist and his warm breath ghosting across the nape of her neck. To her horror, she simply covered his hand with hers, allowing the embrace. Slowly her eyes began to drift shut and she relaxed into his chest, finding it was as comfortable as she remembered.

Oh, yeah. She was in trouble. A lot of trouble.

…..

Alright, so this chapter I decided to give you guys a glimpse into their relationship. Sable's been pretty determined to get over Kakashi but he isn't giving up so easily. And you guys get to see the Sable Kakashi fell in love with, and the Kakashi Sable needed. Also, we get some more background on Sable: yep, she was married. What did you think of their first meeting?

NEXT UP: Takaede's reaction to Sable completely standing him up, Sable's reaction to a night in Kakashi's arms and the mission moving forward.

You know the drill! Review! The faster the reviews come in, the faster I reply. Im getting like 2 reviews from actual members of the site. Kind of lame, guys. I write like 3 thousand words a chapter, Im sure each of you can come up with like ten!

Tell me what you like, what you don't like. What you want to see happen, what you don't want to see happen. I take it all into consideration. I swear. And I give any idea providers credit if its used in the story. So, REVIEW! 3


	6. I Write Sins Not Tragedies

Hello All! You guys reviewed! Thank you So, as a reward, here's the next chapter. Let's really get into this mission!

CHAPTER SIX: I Write Sins Not Tragedies

"Takaede-sami does not wish to see you," the bodyguard growled, completely dismissing Sable. She had been arguing with the six foot something behemoth for at least ten minutes. Their argument had ranged from begging, to yelling, to a silent glaring contest and now she was simply annoyed.

"You haven't even told him I'm here," she argued in the slightly spoiled voice of her cover, Ami. "Im sure if he knew I was out here waiting he would want to speak with me," she insisted, hands on her hips defiantly.

She couldn't let Takaede just brush her off. The entire mission depended on him wanting her. Not throwing a temper tantrum over one missed dinner.

"You were supposed to show last night, you didn't. The Boss isn't too happy with you. Now get lost." He wasn't even looking at her now, rather staring straight ahead, as if she was no longer worthy of his time. It infuriated her to know that if she wasn't playing a role, she could have him crying on his knees with one move.

Sable glared and, in spite of her best control efforts,kicked his shin, taking pleasure in his wince. "Well, you can just tell Takaede I'll be by the hot spring waiting for him. Maybe, just maybe, I'll forgive him for being so rude when I came to explain why I missed dinner. Men!" she harrumphed, turning on her heel and heading down the hall towards her room, chin up.

The bodyguard just shook his head. His boss sure knew how to pick them.

"New plan," she told Kakashi immediately upon entering their room. "Kato needs to be mean to Ami."

"Takaede's pissed?" the jonin guessed, applying his beard and eyepatch in the mirror.

"He won't see me; thinks Ami blew him off. Which I did. But still, you would think he'd want to know why," she thought aloud, shaking her head as she sat on the bed and began braiding her long hair. "We need him to notice me again. What self-respecting pervert can resist the allure of a crying vulnerable woman?"

"Jiraya wouldn't be able to," Kakashi agreed, ducking with a smirk when Sable threw a pillow at his head.

"Leave Pop out of this," she glared, though without any real malice. "Besides, you're one to talk, Paradise. The man who took me in does not get to be your go to for perve generalizing."

"Hey, I never said your mentor was a bad writer, just that he would never pass up the chance to get a woman," Kakashi defended.

"Neither will Takaede," she told him confidently, bringing the conversation back to the mission. "But Ami needs a reason to cry. A good one. He has to be able to comfort her," Sable plotted, kicking off her shoes to tuck her legs under her on the unmade bed. She hadn't gotten around to making it after waking up in Kakashi's arms that morning. Thankfully she had woken up first and slipped out of bed to dress without waking him. She was sure he didn't remember but he was in a much better mood today than he had been yesterday and it was beginning to make her suspicious.

"Im guessing you have a plan?" he surmised, turning from the mirror to stand in front of her.

"Kato is going to hit her," she told him simply, finishing her braid and tying the end with a lace ribbon.

"Hit her? Her bodyguard is going to hit her?" Kakashi asked, clarifying.

"Yup."

"And shes going to run crying to her room, right past Takaede's door," he guessed.

"Mhmm."

"And what will she be wearing when shes passing his room in tears?" he asked, knowing there was bound to be a physical lure.

Sable just smiled, he had always been good at following the method to her madness. "A towel. I told his body guard- Tsume, that I would be in the hot springs all day. He's bound to send one of his men to see what im up to. The moment his goon shows up, Kato will argue with Ami about her rendezvousing in the hot springs, shell argue, he'll smack her and the body guard will be witness to it all."

Kakashi sighed but knew there would be no talking her out of it. She needed to get the criminal to take an interest again. "You're only goal is to get him to ask you to dinner, correct?"

"Correct," she agreed. "If I left it go any further than a kiss and some groping he'll just take her and expect her to leave. I need him to wait until night, when its just more natural to stay and sleep. Besides, I think he carries the documents on him. If that's the case, the only time they're vulnerable is at night when he has to put them away. If Im there when he's undressing, I'll know for sure."

Kakashi cracked his neck to resist from telling her just how much the idea of her and Takaede in bed together bothered him.

She watched him crack each of his fingers, then move to roll his shoulders, with a small smile. She knew his fidgets. He was trying to not say something that would spark a fight. They were exceptionally talented at arguing, she remembered with a shake of her head. They were even better at making up.

"I know you don't like it, but its my job," she reminded him gently. "Its just sex. Im not going to marry him."

He turned to stare at her. He had never understood her idea of 'just sex'. Especially when it took him a month to get her to even spoon- fully clothed. It had been two months of kissing and hesitant cuddling before she had spent the night with him. Which had driven him absolutely crazy because she was irresistible.

"Just sex, huh?" he asked aloud.

She shrugged. "Yup. Just sex. Its not like we're in love," she reasoned before adding firmly, "but if we were, you know you still wouldn't have a right to be jealous, right?"

"You keep saying that like one day im going to actually adhere to that ridiculous idea of yours," he retorted, moving to lounge on the bed beside her.

She laughed then looked down at her intertwined fingers in her lap. "Cant blame a girl for trying."

"You should stay here tonight," he said unexpectedly, hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

"You know I cant."

"Because of Inoichi or the mission?"

She blinked, caught off guard by the question and his tone. "Its…I ant screw this mission up and Iniochi… I care about him."

"But you don't love him?"

"I don't know, I could."

"If you loved him you would know."

"Maybe, maybe I just don't know it yet."

"No, I know you. You know, you always know exactly how you feel. Do you love him?" he asked again, propping himself up on his elbow.

"No, I guess I don't," Sable admitted after a moment, a bit saddened by the truth of her confession. She wanted to love Inoichi. She was even pretty sure she would one day. It just bothered her to admit it to Kakashi.

"Good."

She frowned at him, not liking the turn the conversation had taken. "Good? How is that good? It doesn't change what's going on between us."

"So you admit theres something going on?" He grinned, relentless.

"No! Hatake, don't make me kill you. I need you for this mission," she glared, sliding off the bed to head for the dresser.

"You would kill me?" he asked casually, back to lounging.

"No. Probably not. But, I could make you wish I would," she reminded him with an evil wink. "Now can we please get back on the topic of the mission?"

Kakashi simply smirked. Yes, there was something still there. And no he wasn't going to let her walk away so quickly. He had managed to get her to admit she didn't love Inoichi, so there wasn't _really _another guy. Just a speed bump. That was progress, right?

"Right, the mission. Hot springs?"

"Hot springs," she nodded, letting out a long breath. "Ready to do some acting?"

...

"Put some damn clothes on!" Kakashi growled, yanking a bikini clad Sable out of the hot and roughly wrapping a towel around her slight form.

"Don't touch me!" Sable yelled, ripping her arm from his grasp. She was beet red and near tears. Ami and Kato had been screaming at each other for a good five minutes, and Takaede's goon had definitely been paying attention, from the moment she had blamed him for locking her in the room last night to her not having 'any fun at all' since they had gotten there yesterday. They had been positively catty.

"Ami, get back here," Kakashi threatened as she turned from him.

"Screw you!" she screamed in the perfect impersonation of a rebellious teenager as he grabbed her arm and spun her.

_SLAP!_

Sable's head snapped to the side and her knees buckled from the force of the blow. Ami wouldn't know how to take a hit, she reminded herself as she feigned shock. Sable had dealt with a lot more than Ami, and she could take a lot more than a smack from a man holding back but a spoiled princess would definitely hit the floor if hit by someone with Kakashi's arm.

Takaede's body guard rushed forward, not so sure his boss would want the girl beaten. Takaede had every intention of taking Ami to bed, after he taught her a lesson for blowing him off for dinner the night before. But he definitely wouldn't be thrilled with the girl he planned to spend the next few nights with bruised and beaten up.

"Back off," he growled at Kakashi, crouching beside the disoriented Ami.

"Get away from her, she's going back to her room," Kakashi argued, taking a step towards them. He had to work hard to hide his worry that maybe he had hit Sable too hard. She had dropped like a ton of rocks, the way he expected an inexperienced girl would. But the surprise had seemed a little too real for him. He never could tell with her when she was acting hurt and seriously hurt because she so rarely complained.

He reached for her but he backed away when the guard flashed a kunai.

"The girl's coming with me."

"Her father will have something to say about that," he warned the guard.

"Yeah? Well Takaede will have something to say with you hitting the girl. And so will her father." With that he helped Sable stand and lead her on wobbling legs towards the elevator.

"What happened?" Takaede demanded when the guard helped Sable into his room. "What is she doing here?"

"Her guard flipped, hit her pretty hard. I don't think shes ever been smacked like that, she just crumpled boss. I didn't think you wanted her all bruised up. You seemed to like her," the guard explained as Sable clung to him with one hand, the other against her sore cheek. The other half of her face was buried in his shirt.

"He hit her?" Takaede asked, surprised. The guard had been pushy yesterday, but violent? He knew her father, and the way he spoke of Ami, he would definitely not approve of his daughter being hit.

The guard nodded, still holding a shaking Sable. "Hard too. Her cheek is going to bruise."

"Why did he hit you?" Takaede asked Sable, taking her arm and tugging her from the guard. His voice was stern but laced with a feigned softness. She wasn't the only one pretending.

Sable looked up at him with wide teary eyes and sniffled. "I don't…I was just waiting for you," she cried, pressing against his chest for comfort.

"And?" Takaede pressed, wrapping an arm around her but wanting the details first.

"I was in the hot springs waiting for you and Kato… he got so mad he started screaming that I had to go back to the room… but he made me stay there yesterday too and I missed dinner and then you wouldn't talk to me and now you hate me and it wasn't even my fault!" she sobbed miserably, holding out her hands, palms up, to show him it wasn't her fault.

"I don't know why I care. I don't even know you. I just do and I want you to care too."

Takaede nodded, understanding now. So Kato had been the one to disrupt what he was sure was going to be a good night, not Ami? That made much more sense than her blowing him off. He knew he was good looking, he knew she was young and wanted adventure and a little fun. And she knew he was more than willing to help in the fun department. Kato stopping her made a lot more sense than her just oversleeping.

"So you wanted to go to dinner with me last night?" he asked, confirming.

She sniffled and looked up at him from beneath teardrop lined lashes and nodded. "I wanted to see you. But Kato said Daddy wouldn't approve of me drinking and spending the night with you."

"You wanted to spend the night?"

She blushed but forced confidence and nodded. "Yes."

Takaede smirked; she was still bold, tear stained and all. "Kato shouldn't have hit you. Your father wouldn't approve of _that_."

"You wouldn't hit me, right?" she asked cautiously, large eyes suspicious.

He grinned, believing that he was the one manipulating _her _into trusting _him_. "No, of course not. Why would I?"

"Are you still mad? About me missing dinner last night?"

Takaede chuckled and leaned down, pressing a kiss to her full lips. "Not at all."

Sable forced herself to smile hopefully. "Good because I want to stay here until Kato calms down. Is that okay?"

He grinned and led her to the edge of the bed and sat her down. His guard took that as his cue and stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. Sable watched his retreat, her heart dropping. Soon Takaede's lips were back against hers and his fingers were at the fold of her towel. She allowed the kiss but the moment he pulledher towel apart she jumped up and away.

"I-can we just talk for a minute?" she asked, hugging her bare waist, grateful for the meager covering her bathing suit provided.

"Talk? You didn't want to talk last night," he reminded her, taking her hand and tugging her closer so she was standing in front of him.

"I know. I just- Im sorry," she muttered, tears pooling in her eyes again. "I know what I wanted yesterday and the way I act you must think Im one of _those_ girls but….I _never_ act like this," she confessed, crying again. "This is the first time Im out on my own and Daddy never lets me go anywhere or meet anyone and you're so good looking and I bet you've been with a lot of girls but I don't really even know how to do_ this_-" she motioned to her bare body and to his hands on her hips. "Its why I was so upset this morning. You're the first guy Ive like in forever and I just met you. Its crazy but Ive never done anything like this but I wanted to and I thought you would know how so I wanted to try it- with you…Do you hate me?"

Takaede was quiet a moment, taking in all of this new information. Her story explained her erratic behavior and Kato's freak out. She had been sheltered like most children of secret sellers. It made sense for her to reach a certain age and want to go a little wild. Still, there was an itch in the back of his mind. Something about how everything was working out seemed…fishy. And in his business one couldn't afford to leave any suspicion unchecked.

However, before he could explore that itch of suspicion, Sable had planted herself in his lap and moved his hands so they were around her perfectly shaped waist.

"Teach me," she asked abruptly, completely serious. "You know, how to kiss and what not. Ive only ever kissed one guy. Daddy had him sent to another village and so my lessons ended a little early."

Takaede laughed, the itch of caution the farthest thing from his mind. "I can help with that."

...

"Well?" Kakashi asked an hour later when she walked into the room, locking the door behind her. She wanted Takaede as far from her as possible after that hour long groping session.

"He wants to see me again tonight," she said walking to the dresser to examine her cheek in the mirror. It was a bright red, the lines of each of his five fingers visible on her angry skin. It surprised her it wasn't less irritated by then. In all honesty, it had been a while since she had been outright slapped. Trained shinobi usually fought with a bit more finesse than cats.

"He bought the whole 'Daddy never let me live' line I threw at him. I told him I didn't even know how to kiss," she added, shaking her head. She had seen the flash of doubt in his eyes. That whole "teach me" line was born of pure panic. Any doubt, no matter how brief, would mean him keeping his guard up later that night when he should be asleep. If he suspected anything, the mission was blown.

"And?" Kakashi prompted, walking over to check her cheek. He took her chin in his hand and turned her head to eye her bruise. The sight of his handprint on her skin bothered him. Despite the violent nature of their jobs and lives, Sable had always been a genjutsu techniquist and so were the opponents she usually fought. That meant more depleted chakra and nightmares than physical wounds. Seeing her bruised bothered him. It bothered him a lot.

"He taught me," she murmured, face still in his hands, watching his eyes narrow at the traumatized skin and the idea of her kissing Takaede.

"He _taught_ you?" his look was incredulous.

She nodded, a difficult feat when ones face was being held, but she found herself unable to pull away just then.

"From what I remember," he recalled, voice suddenly lower, his face closer to hers. "You never needed much help with that."

She swallowed, the scent of him wafting over her enticingly. His lips were right there, she thought with a pang of longing. She had just spent an hour in the lap of a traitor pretending to be someone else entirely, manipulating him because that was her job. With Kakashi, it had never been like that. He had known who she was from the beginning. She had never had to lie to him. If she kissed him right now, she knew exactly how he would respond, how it would feel.

Like coming home.

And that scared her, because she had been so sure he wasn't her home for years now. She took a step back, pulling her face from him hand. She shouldn't still want to kiss him so badly. Not after so many years.

"He wants me to come to his room after dinner, " she managed say after a moment of complete thoughtlessness. The mission. They had to finish the mission so she could go home to Kasume and Inoichi. _Remember him, Sable? _She thought to herself with a sigh. _The guy waiting at home trusting you to not do anything stupid. Like kiss Hatake, that would be stupid. Nice, definitelty nice. But stupid. Really really stupid._

"Cant you ask him to dinner and let me check the room for the documents?" Kakashi bargained reasonably. He was frustrated she had pulled away again, but this time it had taken longer. He had seen it. She had almost given in. Kakashi was a patient man, he could wait. She was something definitely worth waiting for. He wouldn't push her, make her talk about every feeling she had and overthink it. He wanted her to just feel that it was right and go with it.

Preferably before she spent the night with another man, but beggars cant be choosers, right?

"No. He has the documents on him. I felt them under his shirt. He moved them when he held me. He's keeping them as close to him as possibly until he can get those shipping manifests to Itachi. The only way Im getting them is to get him to undress and fall asleep. Then I can copy them and we can get out of here," she explained patiently, not liking the idea any more than Kakashi. No matter how attractive Takaede was, he was a traitor and an ally of the Akatsuki. He helped an organization that had ended the lives of countless friends and no amount of sex appeal was going to change the repulsion she felt when he touched her.

"You're sure they were the documents?"

"Im positive. They were the only papers I saw at all and he has no safe. He doesn't think he needs one."

Kakashi nodded. "Then lets eat and prove this bastard wrong."

"My thoughts exactly," she smiled.

...

NEXT UP is the end of the mission- a few hitches included, of course!

So, what do you think about Kakashi's attempts to get Sable back? Is his 'press but don't push' stategy going to work? And what about Takaede, how do you see this mission ending?

Review and let me know! You guys are getting so much better at it, I told you, it only takes a moment and it means a lot. Constructive criticism or plot points and ideas are always welcome!


	7. Savin' Me

Hello All!

Are you guys ready for the end of the mission? Sable and Kakashi sure are! Let's get right to it =)

CHAPTER SEVEN: Savin' Me

"Stay," Kakashi tried for the last time, leaning against the door as she stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.

"And tell Tsunade what exactly? 'Sorry we failed the mission, Tsunade-sama. Kakashi wanted to cuddle'? Somehow, I doubt that will go over well," Sable chastised, rolling her eyes. "Besides, we've gotten this far. Why ruin it now?"

Kakashi just looked at her. She knew why.

"Well, get over it," she offered as her only suggestion.

"You sure Tsunade wont go for the cuddling?" he tried again as she sat in front of the dresser mirror to brush her hair.

"Positive."

He suppressed a sigh and cracked his neck instead. "What time are we getting out of here? Once you make a copy we can run. Takaede will think Kato freaked and dragged you far far away."

"Which is another reason our little scene yesterday worked to our advantage. It gives me an out. Ishould be out in 2 hours. Three tops. It depends on how long it takes him to fall asleep."

"As soon as you've made the copy, meet me in the lobby. I'll be pissed, you'll be teary and we'll storm out, making sure there are witnesses for when Takaede asks questions."

"Exactly. What could go wrong?"

…

Sable knew something was off the moment she had stepped into Takaede's room. The lights were dimmed and there were no body guards in sight. If Takaede was trying not to frighten her away by moving too quickly, he was failing. An inexperienced girl would have taken off at the lights alone. But Sable wasn't just any inexperienced girl. And she needed those documents.

She had worn a light strapless dress- something easy to slide out of and even easier to slide back on when she snuck out. Her hair was down in its natural untamed waves of silky ink. Her feet were bare, as she had only walked from her room to his. Seducing traitors was her job and she was good at it. But it didn't mean she didn't think about skipping the sex and going straight for the torture in her last few moments before she reached the point of no return.

_Konoha needs me to get these manifests before Itachi, without him knowing we have them. Tsunade is counting on me. I can do this. Its just another mark. _

Sighing she stepped forward, only to have a chakra reinforced fist crash into the base of her skull, straight into her cerebellum. It was a mere second before she crumpled to the floor, completely unconscious.

…

Kakashi had watched the sun set from the couch in the lobby, an unusual gnawing pit of worry in his stomach. It had been four hours since Sable had gone into Takaede. To sleep with him. Which meant she should be copying the documents by now. Or even back.

"_Two hours. Three tops."_ She had been so sure. So what could have changed?

She always worked fast, as soon as the mark fell asleep she would deepen the bastard's slumber with a little genjutsu enhanced dream and get to work.

It usually only took her two hours- three max, depending on the man. Four was pushing it and it was making the jonin uneasy.

Something was wrong this time. He could feel it.

_What's taking her so long?_

…

"Who told you about the documents?" the guard demanded for what felt to Sable like the fiftieth time as he slammed a fist into her bruised face.

"What documents?" Sable asked with some difficulty. Her jaw was definitely fractured, nearly broken, and every time the idiot hit her he only made it harder for her to give him bullshit answers. "If you would stop hitting me I would be able to talk," she suggested, voice no longer peppy and flirty like that of Ami. Now she was tired and pissed, one hundred percent Sable.

"Stop playing games! Why were you pretending to be Ami Higarashi?" Takaede demanded, uncharacteristally freaked. The cool demeanor of a man with no worries and plenty of back up had been replaced by terrified urgency the moment one of his guards had returned with the news that, according to Tuomo Higarashi, his daughter was under twenty four hour surveillance in a safe house. When he had revealed how he knew she was a fake Ami, Sable had realized he'd double checked with whatever shinobi was playing the part of Tuomo. And apparently that shinobi hadn't been filled in on Sable and Kakashi's present mission.

What the hell was Tsunade thinking?

"Why would I be pretending to be anyone?" Sable asked wearily. She was getting tired of the "Who are you?" Who do you think I am?" routine. The moment she had woken up she had guessed her cover was blown.

She sat tied to a chair with metal wires that cut into her skin every time she moved. And replacing Takaede's usual beefy bodyguard was a shinobi skilled in the art of chakra depletion. He had cut off her chakra supply, much the way she would have if she was conducting an interrogation. She actually admired his efficiency. She was completely unable to summon any strength and the sensation of her organs slowly shutting down was entirely unpleasant.

_Been through worse, _she reminded herself with a small smile.

"Stop playing games with me!" Takaede screamed, taking it upon himself this time to hit her, a hard, solid slap across the face.

Sable just laughed, brushing the blood off her lip against her already crimson shoulder. "You hit like a child. Why don't you sit back and let the professionals handle the interrogation, huh?" she asked, spitting out a bit of blood onto his expensive pent house carpet. 'I don't think you're going to pass room check," she added with a mock apologetic smile.

Takaede growled and stepped forward to hit her again but the interrogator stopped him, grapping his wrist with a steady hand.

"Takaede, let me handle this. She's simply messing with you. You wont get her to talk like that. She's done this before," he explained calmly.

_You have no idea, buddy,_ Sable thought with a humorless grin.

"Why don't we be realistic?" the interrogator asked Sable once Takaede had left the room to cool off. "You're not going to leave this room alive," he started bluntly. "But you can die a lot easier, and much less painfully if you just give us the information."

Sable laughed, the sound turning into a weak wheezing cough quickly. "Arent you cute? I never really go for that approach. Hearing you're going to die no matter what makes you angry. Too angry to be helpful. Im not angry though, " she added as nonchalantly as she could in her predicament.

"You're not?" the interrogator asked, mildly surprised.

"Nope. Im entertained."

"Entertained? By me or your situation?"

"Both?"

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not at all. My jaw's a bit sore." She smiled , teeth stained red with blood. "You have a killer right hook."

"Thank you."

"No problem. Give credit where credits due and all that. Can I leave now?"

"Leave?" he asked incredulously. "Why would I let you leave?"

"Because Im not telling you a damn thing and we both know it. Besides, I need a shower, Im a bit of a mess."

The interrogator smiled at her. She was an interesting one, that was sure. But his record said that he had never failed to get his answers. And he was incredibly protective of that record. No pretty kunoichi was going to ruin it, no matter how much the idea of torture amused her.

"I think we both know you aren't leaving this room," he told her realistically.

"You think wrong," she grinned.

"Now, Im going to have to get a bit messy, Im afraid. You seem determined to draw this out," he sighed, stepping towards her and crouching down to undo her ankle binds. Her legs just slid together in front of her, completely useless. Her smile faded for only a moment at the sight of her raw ankles. They would be of no use at all when her and Kakashi made a run for it later.

Yes. She believed he was coming to get her. Any minute now. Because he had changed and he wasn't going to let her rot again. Not like last time. Of this she was positive.

"Field trip?" she asked cheerfully as he undid her wrist ties and lifted her bridal style. "Ooo, I hadn't pegged you for the kinky type. I can think of worse ways to go," she winked, unphased by his mysterious actions but thinking he was heading for the bed.

Her bravado disappeared the moment he strung her up by her wrists to the ceiling fan, her bare bloody feet swaying a few inches above the wooden floor. A small part of her shivered at the memory of Itachi stringing her up the same way, whispering in her ear that he would break her right before digging into her spine with his kunai.

The interrogator noticed the change and smiled at her. "Ah. I see we've done this before. Strange, I don't see any marks," he commented casually as he slid a kunai down her dress, watching as it dropped to the floor below her slightly swinging body, heavy with her blood.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sable refuted, though the cattiness she had before was wavering now as she fought to stay in the present. The recollection of her sessions with Itachi cutting into her mind, her skin burning with the memories of his many blades. Her spine ached at the reminder. Her heart froze as she realized she was no longer the one in control.

"No witty comeback? Now, don't give up so easily, I haven't even started. I thought you were a live one," he tsked as he drew his kunai and walked behind her, one hand on her shoulder, to steady her from swinging.

"Now, lets remember what the purpose of this exercise is, dear. Im going to ask you a question, and you're going to tell me the truth. If not, I dig my kunai into your spine. Question one: Who are you?"

…..

Kakashi sat in the lobby, watching Takaede downing shot after hurried shot at the bar, his stomach dropping.

Takaede was supposed to be asleep. In bed. While Sable copied the documents. Instead, he sat at the bar, documents tucked into his jacket pocket, just visible from where Kakashi sat.

And Sable was no where to be found. He ripped off his beard and replaced it with his mask, trading in the eyepatch for his headband a moment later. If he was going to find out what happened, his reputation would definitely help in the questioning process.

Cursing under his breath, he stood and walked over to Takaede, grabbing him by the shoulder and dragging Takaede off the barstool.

"Where is she?" he demanded, voice low and lethal.

…

Sable coughed, the sound wet and painful.

She was completely unable to speak, afraid if she engaged her vocal cords she would do nothing but scream. Her old scars burned furiously as the interrogator cut through them, adding to the painful déjà vu moment she was suffering through.

"Lets just try letters. Whats the first letter of your name? We can start there," he offered calmly, in a voice that infuriated her. She knew that voice far too well. Detachment. Which meant he would continue this until she gave him what he wanted or someone stopped him. Someone like Kakashi.

"You want letters?" she managed, voice rough with pain and blood. "I have a few."

"Really? Care to share?"

"F"

"Mhmm."

"U"

"I think I see where this is going."

"C-K PERIOD Y-O- FUCKING U," she spat, anger getting the better of her. She knew that by showing any emotion other than nonchalance she was letting him know he was getting to her. No matter how she tried, she couldn't chase away those images of Itachi from her mind.

"Oh, I think we're making progress."

Just as he moved to add a new line of blood to her marred back, the door flew open, accompanied by the unconscious body of Takaede as Kakashi tossed him in.

The jonin took two steps into the room and froze, taking in the sight of Sable strung up and pretty much covered in blood.

"Oh, Kami, you came," Sable cried, beside herself with relief, coughing up a bit more blood but smiling now. He had come this time.

Kakashi's one eyed gaze went from Sable's relieved, albeit beat up, face to the rapidly paling face of her torturer, who clearly recognized the Copy Ninja and just how much trouble he was in.

A few painful minutes later and the interrogator was unconscious beside Takaede at the foot of the bed and Kakashi was untying Sable.

"I think my cover was blown," she choked as she collapsed in his arms, limbs useless.

"A safe bet," he replied with difficulty. He was trying very very hard not to be upset by her condition. He was no medic nin but he knew he could use his sharingan to help open back up her chakra gates. He carried her to the bed and laid her down before getting to work.

"What are we going to do about the mission?" she asked as he slowly and carefully undid the work of the interrogator.

"The mission is blown. Im bringing you to the hospital. Now." He was adamant. The choice at the moment was Sable or the mission, and it wasn't hard to figure out which side he was on.

"No. We cant. Itachi wins if we don't get those manifests. He cant know we have them," she argued, refusing to give up. 'You're the genius, help me think, Hatake!"

"Sable, you need a medic," he retorted seriously, finishing up the last of the gates but knowing she had only enough chakra remaining to keep her organs from failing completely.

"No. I'll be fine. Help me sit up, I have an idea," she said suddenly, eyes brightening despite the pain. Pain was relative. Completing the mission was imperative. Screwing over Itachi was priceless.

Kakashi knew he wouldn't win the argument so he gave in. helping her into a sitting position.

"Okay, I know you aren't a master at this but Im going to try and channel your chakra through me. Bring Takaede closer. I need to be able to touch his head," she instructed.

"Not a master at what?" he asked as he complied, easily dragging Takaede's unconscious form onto the bed beside her.

"Implanting memories. Its difficult but I think we can do it. How's your chakra supply?" she asked as she turned Takaede's face so his forehead was upright.

"I have enough," he answered, though he was running a bit low himself after using the sharingan to undo the damage to her chakra system.

"Good. Come here. I'm feeling lightheaded so we have to hurry." She reached for his hands, and laid them over hers as she pressed her fingers against Takaede's temples.

"Tell me what to do," Kakashi nodded, giving her the go ahead.

"Just pulse your chakra through the veins in my hands and down my fingers, I'll take it from there. Just try and give me control. Monitor yourself though. When you feel your getting too low, tell me. Got it?" she instructed, closing her eyes.

"Got it."

"Okay. Start." He silently directed his chakra to his hands, allowing her control once hers reached for it, feeling their energies intertwine. Hers was incredibly weak, barely there at some points.

He watched her expression pale and her brows knit and relax as she encountered problems. He knew what a delicate art memory weaving was and he was sure it had never been performed under such circumstances before. But if anyone could pull it off, it was Sable.

What felt like ages later Sable released his chakra, opening her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot with strain and she swayed a bit in his arms.

"I could only do so much," she explained as she tried to steady herself. "He thinks we slept together, and that he fell asleep. The bruises on his face are from a you, but because Kato barged in and grabbed me. That explains his face, the blood on the floor and why we wont be here when he wakes up."

Kakashi just stared at her. She wasn't the best offensive fighter, preferring to meddle in your mind rather than drive a fist into your stomach. But damn was she good at her job.

"The manifests," he reminded her as she leaned against him for support.

"Left breast fold of his shirt," she murmured, losing consciousness fast. She was beyond exhausted and that was the first time she had ever used borrowed chakra to perform the memory procedure. It was always her last resort because she only had one shot. If she messed up or the subject woke up during it, the mission would be blown, some of her chakra would be stuck inside him and he would have some of her memories.

She prayed the fact that he hadn't woken up and that she had successfully removed Kakashi's chakra meant that it had gone smoothly.

Kakashi, while she floated in and out of consciousness, had managed to locate and copy the manifests and was now lifting her in his arms.

"What about him?" Sable mumbled, motioning to her interrogator.

"He's coming with us. Then you can return the favor," he told her, grabbing the man by the collar.

"Home?" she asked weakly, turning to look up at him.

"Home," he confirmed with a nod before leaping out the window towards the forest.

…

TA-DA! The mission is over!

Of course I had to give Kakashi a chance to redeem himself for last time, and I think Sable is pretty convinced he means business this time, no?

So, what did you guys think of the end of the mission? Good, bad, inbetween?- Tell me in a review!

NEXT UP: Sable and Kakashi are both back in Konoha, and they've got some questions for Tsunade. And Inoichi has some questions for his girlfriend!

Do you think he's going to believe nothing happened? Even though there was no physical communion, do you guys think he's going to be okay with Kakashi's redemption?

Find out by leaving a review! I wont start writing the next chapter until I get AT LEAST THREE (3)!

Be nice throw me a bone and leave a few words/thoughts!


	8. I Try

Hello All!

Sable and Kakashi are home! Now Sable has to figure out how she feels about their changed relationship and how to answer Inoichi's questions.

**CHAPTER 8: I Try**

"You had us worried there for a few days," Ibiki told Sable in a voice that made it clear he had been beyond just worried. "That jutsu you used on Takaede, I have no idea how you pulled it off in the state you were in."

He stood to the right of her hospital bed, letting Kasume, who was seated beside Sable, play with his fingers as he spoke. He was serious about being worried, the whole ANBU division had been up there at some point every day for the three days she had been unconscious. She had finally awoken that morning to find half the squad standing around her bed.

Inoichi, they said, had been there for hours every day, anytime he wasn't working or taking turns with Kurenai caring for Kasume. He now sat on a chair to her left just watching her laugh and chat with her interrogation mentor. She had no idea how much she meant to him, her or the little girl making Ibiki's fingers talk to each other. He had read the mission report, been elated to find out she hadn't slept with Takaede, beyond angry that she had endured a torture session because a messenger had been delayed, and bothered-incredibly bothered- by Kakashi's rescue. He knew what that rescue had meant to Sable, and it worried him.

"The zone, I guess," she answered Ibiki with a small shrug. "I was exhausted, you know how horribly I take to chakra depletion. But the jutsu was perfect and precise. You and I need to practice it more often. I've never done it using someone else's chakra before. It was much more difficult, like using a dull blade almost. But once I got the hang of it, it felt like Kakashi's chakra was my own." She was amazed herself by how well it had worked. She had been half delirious and that jutsu was the most difficult she had learned. Performing it successfully under those conditions seemed nothing short of a miracle. Naturally, it made her want to perfect the new technique. If she could draw on her subjects chakra, it would conserve her own longer and maybe even make the memory more natural since it would the person's own chakra doing the shifting.

"That we will. Once you can handle it, of course. Tsunade seems deadest on you nt going back to work for a while."

"She seemed pretty intense earlier," Sable agreed, remembering the way Tsunade had demanded that she rest and suspended any mission action for at least a few weeks. "I think she feels bad another shinobi screwed up. She sent out the message to let him know my mission details but he never got it. His messenger was sidetracked by some trouble in a village on the way."

"I don't envy the man," Ibiki said seriously before looking up at the clock and sighing. "Well, my break is over. Ive got to get back to working on that interrogator of yours. See you tomorrow?" he asked, tickling Kasume's sides to get her to release his fingers.

"Tomorrow," Sable smiled as she watched him leave. It always amazed her how good he was with Kasume, considering his usual gruffness. "Its crazy to think he hasn't found someone, isn't it?" she asked, turning to Inoichi.

"Part of it may have had to do with his pining after you for so long," he grinned.

She rolled her eyes. "He wasn't pining," she objected.

"What else do you call his obvious interest?"

"Dedication?" she asked, trying to suppress a grin. Truthfully, Ibiki had kinda pined. But it wasn't as bad as Inoichi was making it sound. "He's just an intense guy. With our occupation, its hard to find someone that understands. You know?"

"Well, since you had the same problem, why didn't you say yes?"

"I just don't think we would work out. First of all, hes my supervisor. Hes the guy I have to answer to everyday. And secondly, can you imagine the three of us living together? I mean, our jobs would be perfect, yeah, but can you really see Ibiki tripping over toys in the middle of the night on his way to the bathroom?"

"Tripping over toys? That's the best argument you have for why you turned him down?" he asked incredulously.

She laughed and punched him in the shoulder. "You know what I mean! Besides, I kinda had feelings for someone else at the time," she grinned, using the hand she had just punched him with to tug him closer. "And he's just so great that I couldn't even think about Ibiki," she murmured, lips inches from his.

"Thats a pretty lucky guy, then," he smiled, kissing her lightly.

"EW!" Kasume squealed, burying her face in the hospital sheet. "Cooties!"

Sable and Inoichi pulled away, laughing, Inoichi lifting Kasume up and covering her face in loud kisses.

"Now you have cooties too!" he teased, much to her childish horror as he relentlessly tickled her sides, resulting in gasping squeals of laughter.

Sable watched them, a content smile on her tired face. Inoichi was amazing with Kasume, and her daughter loved him like a father. She should be thrilled to be back, safe in Konoha with her daughter and her…Inoichi. She should feel complete and whole and have no questions whatsoever.

But she wasn't. And she did. Because something had shifted between her and Kakashi, not just because of the rescue, rather throughout the whole mission. She hadn't been around him in so long she had forgotten what it was like to be with him. On this mission, though, she had been given the chance to remember what it felt like to joke with him, argue with him, be held by him and just how right it felt to fall asleep in his arms.

And since she had woken up, he was all she could think about. Which sucked horribly considering Inoichi sat right beside her, loving her, making her smile and reminding her she wasn't single anymore. And that she had more to think about than just how she felt. Like Kasume. Inoichi was perfect with her, and Sable knew her daughter loved him immensely. If Inoichi left, Kasume's heart would be broken. And as much as Sable felt for Kakashi, she had no idea how Kasume would feel about him.

_Things were so much less complicated a week ago, _she thought with a mental sigh.

….

"Sable," Inoichi asked quietly, wanting to see if she was awake yet. She had been home four days and they hadn't had time to just sit and talk yet.

"Mm?" she asked, turning over so her head was on his chest, still half asleep.

"We need to talk about it."

"About what?" she asked, not awake enough to be coherent.

"Kakashi Hatake."

Sable's eyes flew open in surprise. She had not been expecting this conversation after the night they had just had. Everything had been great last night, they had gone out to dinner and laughed and spent the rest of the night in bed. She had been proud of herself for only thinking about Kakashi once- when Inoichi first kissed her. The rest of the night had been just them and it had been great.

"He saved you this time," he said simply. They both knew how much that meant to her. How much it made up for his failure last time. Sable was one of those 'everyone deserves a second chance' types and Kakashi had certainly knocked his out of the ballpark.

Yeah, she was awake now.

"He did," she agreed after a hesitant moment, hand coming up to rest on his chest.

"Are we going to pretend that doesn't change things for you at all?"

"Him saving me doesn't change things for me. It redeems him for last time, yeah. But the save doesn't change anything," she answered, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to lie but she wasn't quite sure if she had the answers to all the questions she knew he had.

"What else happened between you two?"

"Nothing," she replied, opening her eyes and tilting her head to look up at him, hurt that he would think she cheated.

"Nothing physical?"

"Not exactly…" she replied, thinking of the three almost kisses and the night of spooning. Did spooning count as cheating?

"Meaning what?" he questioned, on his guard now.

"Meaning nothing really happened. No kisses, no sex," she asserted quickly.

"No sex?"

"I wouldn't do that to you. You do know that, right?"

"I know you wouldn't. It doesn't mean you didn't want to," he sighed, sitting up.

"I didn't say that!" she argued, sitting up too, though he moved away when she reached for him.

"I just want you to be honest with me!" he told her, frustrated now.

"I always am," she reminded him quietly.

"Not when it comes to him. You haven't given me a straight answer yet," he growled, rubbing his forehead in aggravation.

She stared at him a moment, knowing he was right, but still surprised by his anger. He was usually levelheaded and calm. Part of her wanted to kick her own ass for changing that. Part of her was angry he was acting like it was her fault she couldn't explain what she didn't understand herself. "I… there was something…or rather, _some things_ that happened," she admitted reluctantly.

He looked over at her, face tight as he fought to keep any emotions in check. "What things, Sable?"

"He almost-we almost…. kissed…three times… and we um…we shared a bed- but nothing happened! He fell asleep and wouldn't get up and I was so exhausted and his bed was so uncomfortable and I just wanted to sleep! That was all, I swear!" she explained finishing her initially hesitant confession in a desperate rush.

"You…spent…the night….with _him?"_ he asked in complete disbelief, "Because his bed was _uncomfortable?" _ She was an ANBU interrogator who had endured weeks of torture at the hands of a man who had murdered his own clan and she wanted him to believe she couldn't handle one nights sleep on an uncomfortable bed?

He sat up, pushing away from her. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Its not like Im trying to jerk you around, Inoichi!" she retorted angry that it was her only excuse. "What is it you want me to tell you?"

"The truth!" he yelled back, standing and pacing the room, hand rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. "Look, Sable, I don't know how to deal with this- this you and Kakashi shit. I have no idea how you feel about him, you aren't giving me any answers and I have no clue where I stand. One minute it seems like you're happy and all is perfect, the next you're gazing off somewhere and I torture myself thinking its him on your mind," he explained, still frustrated but trying to avoid yelling since Kasume was asleep two doors away.

Sable dropped her hands into her lap with a lifeless thud. She felt like crying and screaming and it freaked her out because she was definitely not the crying type. She just felt overwhelmed. Inoichi wanted answers to questions she couldn't even answer herself.

"What do you want to know?' she asked finally, voice betraying the mental exhaustion she felt.

"What does Kakashi saving you mean for us?" He asked the question slowly, it was almost painful to voice. He hadn't realized just how afraid he was to lose her to Hatake until that moment.

"Nothing," she answered too quickly, wanted desperately to reassure him and end the argument.

He stared at her lips, the curve of her cheek, her straight button nose, anything but her eyes. The way she said it ate away at his stomach with uncertainty. "Nothing?" he repeated carefully.

"No. It doesn't mean anything. Nothing has changed between us, or me and Kakashi," she said immediately, wanting so badly not to hurt him. Just because her feelings for Kakashi had returned with a vengeance didn't mean she would act on them.

Inoichi was silent for a moment, he knew she was lying. And It killed him. He looked her over slowly. She was gorgeous. Not because of her shape or that femme fatale look about her. But because he knew what she had been through, how strong she was. The first time she had confided in him about what happened with Itachi, he knew he loved her. She had trusted him with her nightmares and he had given her his heart. He had thought if he was patient, if he proved to her he wasn't leaving- like Kai and Kakashi had, that she would give him hers. And he was sure he was making headway-until this mission had come up.

"Sable, you spent the night in a bed with him during a mission where on three occasions you almost kissed. At the end of said mission, he played hero and saved your life after sharing his chakra with you in an intensely difficult jutsu. All of this and you want me to believe nothing has changed?"

Before she could reply, he made his choice. Until she knew what she wanted, he would let her see what it was like without him there. If she was going to love him, she would have to do it without him by her side every moment trying to be everything and everyone to her.

He walked to the corner of the room and grabbed his pants, sliding into them. "I think I should go."

Sable eyes widened in shock. "You're leaving?"

"Until you figure out how you really feel, I need some time too," he explained, slipping his sandals on, looking around the room for his shirt.

Sable wrapped the sheet around her and quickly rolled out of bed. "You're this upset about Kakashi rescuing me?"

"Im grateful to Hatake for saving you, Sable. It isn't even the shared bed or the would be kisses that bothers me," he told her through gritted teeth as he grabbed his shirt and headed for the front door. It was killing him to walk out but it would hurt more to stay and listen to another lie.

"Then what is it?" she asked desperately.

"The fact that your first lie and our first fight was over him," he said, truly angry now. She shouldn't look so vulnerable or so upset, not when she was the one tearing his heart and pride to shreds. While he was here playing father to her daughter whom he generally loved she had been falling back in love with another man. That stung. Bad.

Sable winced. He was right about everything. She couldn't even argue. That didn't mean she wanted to end things with him. It wasn't that simple. "Im sorry," she managed eventually, swallowing hard. "Just please don't leave. We can talk about it. Ill be honest, I swear." She didn't care if she sounded pathetic. He was about to walk away and the idea of him being gone because she couldn't figure out how to deal with her feelings for Kakashi filled her with an irrational sort of panic.

"You cant be honest with me until you are with yourself," he sighed, hating the panicked, teary look on her face. But he couldn't be her fallback. He had to be her first choice, the way she was his. If she loved him, she would realize it. If not, he would have to accept it. "Let me know what you decide." He was detached now, almost cold.

"You aren't supposed to be the one that leaves!" she yelled, pissed he could just walk out so calmly after everything.

"Im not supposed to be your back up either!"

She flinched at his tone and meaning. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew he was right. But right now she was angry and confused and hurt and overwhelmed.

"I don't sleep with my back ups!" she screamed back as he swung open the door.

"Could've fooled me!" He turned and smacked right into the person standing on the either side of the door.

"You have got to be kidding me," he growled as he stepped back and realized who it was. "This is just great. What do you want, Hatake?"

Kakashi, who had heard the last half of the fight, just shrugged. "Hey, don't take your relationship problems out on me. I just came to talk to Sable."

Sable stared at him for a moment, numb with shock. "Now is not a good time, Kakashi," she managed after a moment of throat clearing.

"Leave," Inoichi demanded, not in the mood to deal with the reason for every problem he had at the moment.

"Really? Because it looked like you were just about to," Kakashi reminded him nonchalantly, stepping around him into the living room.

"Kakashi, seriously," Sable began to argue just as Inoichi started in with a pissed "You think this is a game?"

"Its only a game if your opponent has a shot in hell of winning," Kakashi replied with a calm confidence.

"Winning? You seriously think one rescue- which was your job, by the way- is going to make up for all the shit you put Sable through?" Inoichi demanded in a tone Sable hadn't heard before.

"No. But its giving me a second chance. That's all I need."

"Second chance?" Inoichi asked, looking over at Sable. "You told him you were giving him a second chance?"

Sable's eyes were wide with shock. "No. No! I said no such thing! That's just Kakashi making assumptions. Inoichi, I haven't even spoken to him since I performed the jutsu!" she insisted, shooting a glare at Kakashi for planting the idea in Inoichi's head.

"You didn't use those _exact _ words," Kakashi admitted, "But you are definitely at least thinking about it. That's why you've been avoiding me."

"I have not been avoiding you," she growled. "I just don't want to see you right now."

"Why not?" Inoichi asked, voice incredibly accusatory.

"Because she knows if she does shes going to give in and kiss me," Kakashi answered for her matter of factly.

Inoichi laughed humorlessly, unable to believe what was happening. "You know where I'll be. Let me know what you decide. But I am not going to stand here and listen to him and watch you try to come up with some lie to deny it."

Sable stood rooted to the floor as she watched him walk out in total shock. "He left," she murmured after a moment.

"Because he knows how this ends," Kakashi explained, tone softer now that he wasn't antagonizing Inoichi.

"How can he know how this ends when I don't even?" she demanded, turning to him.

"You know exactly how this ends, Sable." He walked into her kitchen and began going through her cupboards for a coffee mug.

She stalked into the kitchen, one hand holding the sheet around her and the other pointing a finger at him.

"No I don't. And don't think you do either! I didn't agree to any second chance. Don't assume that just because I don't hate you means you know how everything between us ends."

He found the mug and turned the coffee pot on before turning to her. "Really?"

"Really," she asserted. "How could you?"

"Alright. Then Im leaving." With that he walked past her and through the living room to the front door.

Without hesitating she ran after him. "Kakashi, Wait!" she called, confused but sure she didn't want him gone as she reached for him, grabbing his hand.

He stopped the moment she touched him. Turning, he faced her with a smirk. "That's how I know."

She dropped his hand, put off by the smirk. "What do you mean?"

"You just let Inoichi walk out. If you loved him, if you wanted to be with him, you would have stopped him. He would have stayed. You know that."

Sable blinked surprised it was the truth. She could have reached for Inoichi the way she had for Kakashi. He would have stayed, taken it as a sign she wanted to try.

Suddenly the urge to cry returned. That was twice already she wanted to break down in tears and she had only been awake twenty minutes.

With a heavy sigh she plunked down onto the couch, covering her face with the hand not holding the silk sheet to her naked body. "Why is this so complicated?" she mumbled against her palm.

Kakashi sat beside her. "Because I screwed up before. In a very big way. You don't think you can trust me, not the way you trust Inoichi. Hes dependable. You aren't sure I am." He had spent the past week thinking about everything, putting that genius of his to the test.

She let out a small emotionally exhausted chuckle. "Kami, when did you become so rational?"

He shrugged, but was still serious. He needed her to know he realized what a big deal a second chance would be. Obito would have been ashamed of him for what he had done. And he owed it to the memory of his lifeloving friend and to Sable to make it right.

"Sable, I can be dependable. I wont hurt you. Not again."

She lifted her face to look up at him, a small sad smile on her lips. "Stop making it hard for me to throw you out."

"Im going to make it impossible," he promised, eye crinkling, revealing the fact that he was smiling beneath that mask of his.

She laughed and shook her head. "Everytime I try to get over you, something happens. Last night I was sure I was going to be able to get over you. And then here you are, at my door during the only fight Inoichi and I have ever had."

"What about last night made you think you could just forget everything?" he asked, for the first time really noticing the fact that she wore nothing but a sheet. Thinking back, Inoichi had looked like he had just rolled out of bed. So they had spent the night together. Great. The mental images would only burn in his mind for the next week or so.

She shrugged, unaware of his mental ramblings. "I don't know. Things were just really good. I barely thought about you- only once actually- and we had such a great time and he put Kasume to sleep and everything."

Kakashi was busy stewing over the idea of Inoichi holding and kissing her to catch much of what she said. But a second later he caught onto something in particular.

"You thought of me? When?"

Sable immediately turned bright red and shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she grumbled, standing quickly.

He stood in front of her, hand on her hip. "Sable, when did you think of me?"

She bit her lip, completely reluctant to admit anything to him.

"Sable," he insisted, letting his other hand come to rest on her free hip and pull her closer.

She exhaled sharply and looked up at him, cheeks practically glowing now. "You're going to think way too much of it," she attempted to deflect.

"Try me."

Swallowing, Sable shrugged one bare shoulder gently. "When Inoichi…when we were kissing…in bed…"

"You thought of me when you were in bed with him?" he asked, clearly still smirking behind his mask.

"When you say it like that it sounds horrible!" she growled, smacking his chest.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, relentless.

"Stop it."

"Just tell me."

"No."

"Sable."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because your ego cant handle another expansion. Its practically got its own orbit," she shot back.

"Im willing to risk it."

"Well Im not."

"I wont laugh."

"Liar."

"Its that bad?"

"Shut up!"

"Just tell me."

"Then will you please drop it?"

"Yes."

She sighed and looked down at his vest. "I thought, for a second, that maybe it would have been nice to kiss you like that…the night we shared the bed. But it was only for a second!" she added insistently.

He looked down at her, smirk only growing. She had thought about kissing him?

"How deep of a kiss?"

"Kakashi! You said you would drop it!"

In one fluid movement he removed his mask and closed the gap between their lips. Sable froze for a moment, knowing she should push him away. But suddenly, as if of their own accord, her arms wrapped themselves around his neck and she was kissing him back passionately, the sheet held up between their chests.

Kakashi slid his hands around her hips to her back, holding her to him tightly, not willing to release her any time soon while Sable's hands slid from his neck to his hair, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

They were both so enveloped in the kiss they didn't hear the front door swing open.

…

There ya have it! They finally kiss =)

NEXT UP: Who do you think is at the door? Let me know in a review, since the next chapter will absolutely not be posted until there are at least three! (3)!

Lets have some creative answers for our stranger at the door, people! This is fanfic! Be imaginative!


	9. Second Chance

Hello All!

Okay, so its been forever since I updated-but! I have a legitimate excuse that should prevent any lynch mobs from forming at my door. My computer and car broke down in the same week and when it came to deciding which one got the repairs, the car won and it was a while before I could afford a new computer. However! I do have a new one now so you can expect the update rate to be the same as before, every three reviews and I start writing the next chapter, the more reviews the longer the chapter.

Alrighty, now that that's taken care of, lets find out who was at the door! None of the reviewers guessed so Im sure you'll all be shocked!

CHAPTER 9: Second Chance

_In one fluid movement he removed his mask and closed the gap between their lips. Sable froze for a moment, knowing she should push him away. But suddenly, as if of their own accord, her arms wrapped themselves around his neck and she was kissing him back passionately, the sheet held up between their chests._

_Kakashi slid his hands around her hips to her back, holding her to him tightly, not willing to release her any time soon while Sable's hands slid from his neck to his hair, wanting to be as close to him as possible._

_They were both so enveloped in the kiss neither heard the front door swing open._

Sable broke the kiss after a minute, breathing labored as she shook her head, eyes still closed. "We cant do this," she murmured, attempting to pull away from him entirely.

"We cant do this _here_," Kakashi amended, not willing to give up so easily, not when her lips were so soft and her body so warm against his. "I agree. The bedroom is much more appropriate."

"I don't think that's what she meant," a voice behind them chimed in before Sable had the chance to smack him.

Kakashi whirled around, kunai already in hand, and faced the dark haired man standing at the door. Sable, however, had completely stilled at the sound of his voice and her face had taken on the distinct expression of someone who had seen a ghost.

"Who the hell are you?" Kakashi demanded, noting Sable's reaction. This man was definitely no stranger. The way she stared at him with her eyes wide in a mixture of surprise, relief and anger had Kakashi on edge, unsure of what was going on.

The man ignored him, staring straight past the cautious Kakashi and at a speechless Sable. "I didn't think you would be this surprised to see me, Sable. Not with all that snooping you've done since the fire. But it is so good to see you, actually be able to speak to you. Its been a long time."

"Fire?" Kakashi looked back and forth between them, something about a fire nagged at him in the back of his mind. He had heard it somewhere before, something with a fire and Sable.

"You really aren't going to say anything?" The man asked Sable, stepping closer when Sable had still failed to produce any verbal response to his appearance. Kakashi repositioned himself between them, keeping the intruder a good five feet from her.

"Stop moving," he ordered, voice low and deadly. He seemed to be the only one in the room not understanding the situation and he wasn't used to that, at all. Sable's complete lack of response wasn't helping either. "Now, last time, who the hell are you?"

"Why don't you ask her?" the stranger suggested, eyes still focused on Sable as she started to shake her head in disbelief.

"This is a trick," she finally managed, swallowing hard, her voice was thick and rough.

"No trick. Im really here, Sable. I have been for so long. I just couldn't tell you."

"You cant be here. You cant be standing in my living room. You're- you died."

"In a way."

"Kai," Kakashi said aloud as the pieces fell into place. Sable's husband, Kai, had died in a fire. His had been the grave Sable had been visiting that day in the rain when they had first met. But hadn't she said he had been a farmer? How could a farmer have disappeared for so many years?

Kai nodded, confirming Kakashi's conclusion, gaze still on Sable, who was steadily looking more angry than shocked. "The one and only, though apparently my wife doesn't seem to be suffering too greatly in my absence."

"Your _absence_? That's what you call faking your own death?!" she growled, suddenly livid. Somewhere in her brain it registered that anger shouldn't be one's first emotion when finding out their husband was alive, but she was too angry to listen to it. "How dare you walk in like you've come back from a trip! You've been dead seven years and you think you can just waltz in here and say 'honey, Im home'?!"

Kai raised an eyebrow, surprised by her reaction. "I had imagined revealing myself to you in an entirely different way, love. But I have to admit, you angry is still incredibly sexy," he added with a crooked grin, hoping it would distract her from the anger.

Sable's heart squeezed tightly at the appearance of the smile she had once cherished so much. "Don't you dare," she growled instead.

Kai held up his hands, palms open. "Dare what?" he asked innocently.

"Try and smile your way out of this! I mourned your death! I had to face an empty bed and a burned down home completely alone while you- where the hell have you been?!" she yelled, realizing suddenly that he had to have been somewhere for seven years.

Kai rubbed the back of his head, looking much younger and plenty earnest. "I cant tell you, love. – I want to," he added right away when he saw she would argue. "But I cant. Im still under orders."

"It was a mission," she said after a moment, finally understanding what had happened. Her voice was now perfectly devoid of tone, a surefire sign that she was enraged. "All of it was a mission. Our marriage, the farm, your death. That's why they couldn't find your body. Why the entire house burned but none of the animals were hurt, just you."

Kakashi took a step towards her, ignoring his instincts that were screaming at him to move out of the way before she flipped out the way he knew she would. That voice was one he had heard on two occasions, and both times the reasons for it had to be carried away on stretchers.

Kai smiled at her proudly, seeming unaware of the danger he was in. "I knew you wouldn't just buy the story, not when so many things were out of place. I thought you would figure it out, though. You were so close too, the day you snuck into Tsunade's office, I was sure you had it."

Sable shook her head. "You watched me? You were there, you saw what I was going through, thinking I was going insane, and you said nothing!"

She had been suspicious in the beginning; the whole thing nagging at her in a way that she knew had nothing to do with her grief. Kai was young, fast, and strong. If the fire had started in the hearth as they had claimed, he would have had plenty of time to get out. But midday like that, he would have been outside, feeding the livestock. He shouldn't have been in the house, a fire shouldn't have been started because she was on her way home with lunch, and he should have had plenty of time to escape.

"I was under orders," Kai explained grin gone now as his voice softened. "I wanted to tell you, I wanted to call out to you so badly, Sable. There were so many times I almost did but I couldn't break protocol. I had to stay dead and you had to be a grieving widow, its what the mission required."

"I would have faked it," she told him, no longer angry. Now she felt…deflated. She wasn't equipped to handle so much drama so early. "I would have played my part."

"I didn't know about your…penchant for role playing then," he replied, running a hand through his dark hair. "And anyway, Tsunade said that if you found out on your own, I could confirm it, talk to you. That night you were in her office you were so close. Then you just stopped and ran out." He shifted his gaze to Kakashi and glared.

Kakashi blinked, surprised at the sudden hostility. "Whats the look for?"

"I heard you," Sable answered, turning to Kakashi as she recalled that night. "Through the window in Tsunade's office. I had snuck in to see if I could find anything out about the fire. So much wasn't adding up. I thought I was going crazy. So I figured a quick check of Tsunades office would either confirm my suspicions or be reason enough to see a shrink. But then I heard you saying goodbye to Iruka out on the street and I recognized your voice from the cemetery." She took a shaky breath, lips slightly curved in a small smile. "I remembered what we talked about. What I told you about not obsessing over Obito."

"You did remember," Kakashi grinned. He had wondered if she had forgotten, since she had never brought it up.

"Oh, she remembered alright. She remembered the conversation so well that she decided then and there to stop obsessing over my death. To stop looking. She was six feet from my file in Tsunade's drawer. Six feet from me being able to explain everything, to talk to her and touch her." Now he was the one who was angry.

Sable just shook her head again and sat down on the couch, free hand rubbing at her temples. "This is insane." First the fight with Inoichi, then everything with Kakashi, and now her dead husband was there, alive and looking exactly the same as he had the last time she saw him. She was clearly still asleep. There was simply no other explanation.

"I had hoped you would be at least a little happy to see me, you know, _alive_," Kai told her moving so he stood to her left while Kakashi sat to her right.

Sable looked up at him and pulled him down beside her to hug him. "I am glad. So glad," she murmured, tears again threatening to escape the prison of her lavender eyes.

Kai returned the hug, pulling back a bit and naturally leaning in to kiss her. He was shocked the next moment to find himself on the floor, staring at her knees.

"No." Sable glared down at him. "No. No. No. No more kisses today. Just because Im glad you're alive doesn't mean that things just go back to the way they were. You've been gone seven years, Kai. _Seven years_."

"Which means we have seven years of kissing and living to make up for," he replied, standing and brushing off his pants.

Sable just shook her head, looking over to Kakashi for help. She clearly had no idea what to do.

"Give her a minute to breathe," Kakashi growled up at him, reaching for hand to calm her. "Go take a shower and get dressed, take a second to process. We'll be here when you get out," he instructed, standing and pulling her back up with him before she could object.

"Kakashi-," Sable started to argue before stopping herself and nodded. A shower and a few minutes to decompress and absorb everything that had happened sounded too good to be stubborn about at the moment. "Okay. Just…stay?" she asked, much to both of the men's surprise.

Kakashi nodded, deciding that then wasn't the best moment to delve deeper into the request. She needed him, and he would stay. There was sure as hell no way in the world he would leave her alone with her ex husband, that was for damn sure. "Ill be here," he assured her.

"I don't think that's appropriate," Kai disagreed. "I want a minute alone with my wife."

"Widow. Im your widow. You're dead, remember?" Sable snapped at him, nerves much to fried to deal with anything besides steam and lavender soap. "Kakashi is staying. If hes gone by the time I come out, then you might as well leave too."

With that, she turned and headed for the bathroom, thanking her lucky stars that Kasume would sleep for another two hours or so. Sable had a lot of explaining and simplifying to do when she woke up.

…

Sable stepped out of the shower and wrapped the warm towel around her pink skin. She had stood under the boiling spray for forty minutes, waiting until the water turned to ice before shutting it off. She had wanted to take the time alone to sort things out in her mind but had just stood there, completely zoned out instead.

She rolled her shoulders before wiping the condensation from the foggy mirror. Yup, she looked like crap. Sighing Sable pulled a brush through her tangled hair.

"This is insane," she whispered to her reflection. First the blow out with Inoichi, who she still couldn't believe walked out.

"He deserves better than what you can give him," she told herself with another sigh. It was hard to imagine not having him there though. Inoichi was dependable and kind and he was safe. He wouldn't have left if she hadn't gone and lied about everything that morning.

"Kasume is going to be broken hearted." She closed her eyes, knowing it was the truth. Since her daughter had been born everything Sable did was for her, to protect her and make her happy. But she knew that Kasume loved Inoichi. And men coming in and out of her life affected her little girl too.

"How the hell am I going to explain Kai?" she asked, opening her eyes and hoping that the answer would just appear. After a minute with no replies from beyond she got her ass in gear and slipped into sweat pants and a tank top, to distracted to care about fine tuning her appearance. Besides, both men had seen her at her best and worst.

Squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath she opened the door and headed for the living room.

"Feel better?" Kai asked as soon as she was in sight, jumping up.

Sable nodded, letting out the breath she had been holding in when she saw that Kakashi had stayed. "As good as Im going to get today. Its been one hell of a morning."

Kakashi smirked beneath his mask, remembering the kiss that Kai had walked in on.

Sable caught the crinkle in the mask and glared at him, knowing what he was thinking. "Don't be so smug, Hatake. You provoking Inoichi was no help."

"Speaking of Inoichi, I thought he was the one you were with," Kai asked, though the topic of his wives man friends wasn't one he was too happy with.

"He is."

"Care to explain what I walked in on then?"

Sable flushed a deep red. "Well, he _was…._its complicated."

"No, its not," Kakashi piped in. "Inoichi thought he stood a chance against what Sable and I have and was upset when he realized he doesn't."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Is that what happened, Sable?"

"No!" she denied immediately. "I mean, no I dont think Inoichi and I are going to be seeing each other anymore. But it isn't because of him, not in any way. He deserves more than I can give him. And that's all you need to know. Kakashi is delusional."

"So theres nothing going on between the two of you?"

"No…Not really. I mean, I haven't even talked to Inoichi yet about you know, ending things. Starting anything with anyone, especially Kakashi, right now would be wrong and well, skanky."

"I completely disagree," Kakashi argued. "Why put a time line on something we both want? And because its you, the woman who ignored every male in the vicinity for almost four years, no one could ever think of you as 'skanky'."

"I have to admit, those four years were the easiest for me," Kai told her. "Watching you with other men wasn't exactly easy."

"You should have told me you were alive then! I thought you were dead. And you shouldn't have been watching me in the first place. That's just wrong. If you're going to go through all of that to make me believe you were dead, you should have just left."

"Would you have left if the roles had been reversed?" he demanded.

Sable shook her head. "No. But I would have told you, protocol be damned. We were married. We planned a life together. I was your wife. I deserved more than a grave marker, Kai."

"You still are my wife. Im not really dead, remember?" he grinned.

Sable held up her left hand. "See my ring finger? Note the absence of a ring. Note the seven years without a husband. No, we aren't married any more. Im sorry, Kai, but Im a completely different person than the woman you married. I have a kid now, I have my job, and I have…" she looked over at Kakashi. "Other obligations. A lot has happened since you died and Im not going to waste any time or energy pretending things can ever be the same."

Kai flinched. "There goes that get to the point attitude I missed so much." He reached over and took her hand, holding tight when she tried to pull away. "I know whats happened, Sable. Ive read the reports. And Ive seen Kasume. And yeah, I know about everything with Kakashi, including his recent redeeming save. But I don't care about how much has changed. You're still the same girl I married-"

"On a mission! You married me as a cover for some mission I'll never know the full details of. Don't try and pretend that wasn't what it was, Kai. I fake relationships for a living. I know what a cover is and I was yours. "

"In the beginning, yes. But I did love you, and I still do," Kai insisted earnestly.

Sable jerked her hand from his. "Oh, no. No. Not you too. This is crazy. This is completely bat shit crazy."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, confused by her reaction.

"I think it might have something to do with you being the third man to declare his love for her in about as man hours," Kakashi explained with a grin.

"Oh, I see."

"You do?" Sable asked hopefully.

"Yeah. I have to prove to you Im the one you want to be with."

" Yeah, right. Listen, as the kiss you walked in on clearly shows, Im the one Sable is going to be with. Don't think a miraculous rise from the dead is going to score you any points, buddy," Kakashi cut in.

"No! No one has any points! This is not a game!" Sable yelled, panicking.

"You think not?" kai asked Kakashi, both men ignoring Sable's interjection. "I bet you the price of a wedding ring that she chooses me over you."

"Loser pays for the others ring?" Kakashi mulled it over for a moment before shaking the outstretched hand. "Deal. She likes rubies, by the way. So start saving up."

"Kami, what the hell is going on?" Sable asked the room, since neither man was paying attention.

"The competition starts tomorrow," Kai announced after some debate with Kakashi. "So, I'll take you out on a date first then Kakashi will. Whichever one you like best gets a point. At the end, whoever has the most points wins."

"Wins what? Me? Im not a stuffed animal!" she growled, smacking them both on the arms. "This is ridiculous. Both of you are acting like children."

"she didn't object," Kakashi pointed out.

"Nope. So I guess that means the competitions a go," Kai agreed.

"I hate you both." Sable informed the men before turning on her heel and heading to Kasume's room. Mommy had a lot of explaining to do.

….

NEXT UP: The competition begins! How do you think Sable's going to handle her two exes fighting over her? What kind of antics do you expect the men to use?

So! There it is! Kai is our mystery intruder ! Betcha none of ya saw that one coming! Since the past few chapters have been very angst laden , I thought a good old fashioned challenge between the two would be a good way to relieve some of the angstness, though it cant disappear entirely.

What do you guys think? Are you excited to see how the dates go? And any last thoughts on Inoichi and the conversation Sable and him will have to have?

Let me know IN A REVIEW! Ya'll know the drill, Three (3) reviews and I start the next chapter. The faster the reviews, the faster the chapter is posted!

Till next time!


	10. How Do I Live?

Hello All!

This chapter is long overdue, I know. But the third review literally just came in and here it is. This chapter been ready forever. Review guys so I can post these as quickly as I write them! I have the following two chapters written, so review quickly, my loves!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER TEN: How Do I Live?

"Is Kai my daddy, Mommy?" Kasume asked optimistically as Sable ran a brush through her dark silken hair. The three year old had listened patiently while her mother explained that someone named Kai was going to be around for a little while. Apparently this Kai person was her husband. From what Kasume knew about husbands, they were the daddies in the family. Since she had never had a daddy before, maybe it was this Kai guy.

"No, baby. Kai is not your father. Mommy knew him before you were even born," Sable explained gently, heart tugging at the hopeful note in her little girl's voice. She would have to tell her daughter the name of her father eventually, but she would be damned if Kai's unexpected return from the dead would have her burden the child with the Uchiha name at only 3. "Mommy thought Kai was…gone. Remember when we thought Pop Pop was gone?" she asked the child, referring to the two month period where they had believed Jiraiya to be dead. Gone was the word Sable had used, not wanting to introduce her innocent baby girl to even just the word "death".

"Pop Pop came back too," Kasume reminded her mother matter of factly. "He brought us candy."

Sable laughed, some of the stress of the day eeking out as she pressed a thankful kiss to Kasume's forehead."Yes, he did. Well, Kai doesn't have candy but hes a friend of Mommy's so we're going to be nice to him, right?"

Kasume's curls bounced as she nodded her head energetically. "Right." Sable smiled and kissed her head again before lifting her off the bed and setting her on the ground.

"Ready to go meet Kai?"

"Yes, Mommy." Sable inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly before taking Kasume's small hand in hers and heading for the living room.

Kai's eyes lit up when she saw Sable walk out with the child. He had seen them together many times before, but always from a distance. Each time the sight of his wife with a child tore at his heart. He had wanted a family with Sable so badly for so long. Now, he hoped, it would be possible. "Hello there, Kasume. Im Kai," he introduced, squatting so they were level. "Im a friend of your Mommy's."

Kasume graced him with a toothy grin. "Hi."

"Did Sable tell you who I am?" Kai ventured, ignoring the flash of caution that suddenly crossed Sable's face.

"Mommy says you're a husband. But you're not my daddy. Is a husband like a friend?" she questioned innocently.

Kai laughed. "A husband is the best kind of friend," he informed her.

"I want a husband," Kasume decided with a determined nod of her head.

Sable shook her head, laughing, brushing off the moment of panic Kai had aroused. "How about we wait a little bit for that, no? After all, you have to meet a boy first," she explained calmly to her over eager daughter.

"Will Uncle Inoichi be my husband? He's my favorite friend."

Sable's smile disappeared as Kai watched her shake her head. "I don't know, baby. You can ask him next time you see him, okay?"

"Can Uncle Inoichi meet your husband, Mommy?"

"Um…not right now, Kasume. But eventually, yes, Kai and Inoichi will meet," Sable managed, trying incredibly hard not to panic at the idea of having to tell Inoichi that not only had she kissed Kakashi, her dead husband had shown up after seven years and oh yeah, now the two 'men' were in a competition for her. He was a patient man, yes, but there was only so much anyone could handle before they just gave up entirely. Even though they wouldnt be together any longer, not after everything that had happened this morning, she had been holding on to the hope that maybe they could stay friends. Kasume loved him immensely and she treasured his friendship. Losing him completely would be heartbreaking to say the least.

Instinctively she looked over at Kakashi for help fielding some of her daughters never ending questions. He was the genius after all, he should shoulder some of the inquiries.

Kakashi, who had been leaning against the archway between the kitchen and living room watching the scene silently, stepped towards Kasume and lifted her in his arms. "Hey there, pretty one. How about you show me your room and I can tell you about husbands?" he bargained, knowing Sable needed a minute to think and stifle the panic that was rising so clearly in her stunning eyes.

"Are you a husband?" Kasume asked him as he started down the hall towards her room. The sound of his laughter rang out at the question, apparently that was his answer.

Sable smiled despite the stress of the day. Kakashi a husband would be something indeed.

"She's beautiful," Kai commented from his new position on the couch, patting the soft cushion beside him, inviting her to sit.

Cautiously Sable accepted the invitation and sat, sinking back into the couch. She was emotionally and mentally exhausted. "Thank you. I think so too. She's the best thing that ever happened to me." Her voice was full of the loving sincerity it always was whenever she spoke of her daughter. Kasume had saved her life, she was sure of it. If she hadnt been there, completely dependent on Sable and forcing her to get up in the morning despite the nightmares, she was sure she would have given up at some point. Everyone has their limits, that she knew well, and she was positive hers would have been losing Kakashi and her sanity after the whole Itachi ordeal.

"Despite how you got her?" Kai asked, brow furrowed just thinking about what he had read in her file. Itachi had done a number on his wife, physically and emotionally. It took two years before Sable had been able to return to work after she had appeared outside of Konaha's gates, battered, shocked and pregnant. He had rushed out of Tsunade's office the moment he found out about the capture but the Hokage had him chased down and dragged back to her. He couldnt risk his cover, she had said. Sable couldnt afford the shock either, she had added when her first reason failed to convince him to say hidden. Instead he had disguised himself as an orderly and watched her sleep in the hospital, horrified by the gashes and bruises. When he heard that she was pregnant he had almost fainted in shock.

Sable shrugged as if it was nothing but quietly she had to force a swallow in an attempt to coat her now dry throat. "It doesnt matter how she came to be. I have her and Itachi has no idea she exists. Thats enough for me."

"That would be one hell of a custody battle," he teased, his effort rewarded with a smile from Sable.

"It most definitely would be. It would be the first battle Itachi hasnt won, I'll tell you that much," she said seriously. Itachi would have to pry Kasume from her cold dead hands before she ever gave her baby over to him.

"I believe it," Kai nodded, noting the fierce glint in her eye. She was definitely tougher than the girl he had bumped into in the market all those years ago.

"Anyway, everything that happened with Itachi... its in the past. Ive moved on." Clearly she didnt believe her lie anymore than he did. What happened wasnt exactly something one just got over.

"I've read your psych evaluation, Sable. I know about the nightmares and I know about the scars," he admitted, voice low and serious. He had kept ridiculously close tabs on her recovery ever since she was taken.

Sable stiffened and cleared her now completely dry throat. It was stupid, she thought to herself, to have such a physical reaction to the mention of her scars when they were a constant for four years, there every time she turned in a mirror, marring her otherwise perfectly smooth skin. She stood and walked to the kitchen without a word. A moment later she returned with a glass of water. She drank slowly, using the distraction to compose herself. "I always had nightmares. These are just...slightly different," she clarified after the glass had been drained.

"You never had nightmares when we were together," he commented.

"Because when we were together, before you died, there was nothing that scared me," she murmured. "The worst thing that had happened to me had been my parents dying and you and Jiraiya helped me through that. This stuff- my job, the interrogations, Itachi- its in my head and I dont think its ever going to leave. But I'm used to it now," she added, forcing a note of confidence in her voice that rang decidedly hollow.

"You know, its okay that you arent, right?" he asked, watching her closely. She was still as beautful as the day he had met her. Now she was more womanly, with curves that could drive any man crazy, and her eyes were older, as if she had seen so much more than a young woman should have. Then again, when he had found her, she was lonely and just a bit sad but young and hopeful. Loving her had been natural, effortless even, and he had often found himself watching her sleep, completely forgetting she was part of a cover.

His older, wiser, darker wife now nodded slowly beside him, staring straight ahead. "I help people. The information I find out in interrogations saves lives. Innocent lives. It doesnt matter if I feel that I have too much blood on my hands, Ive saved more lives than Ive ruined and the rest doesnt matter."

He bobbed his head in silent agreement then reached out to take her chin in his hand and gently turn her head so she was facing him. Their eyes locked. "Im sorry, Sable. If I could, I would have told you the truth when we were together, then you would have never ended up on that mission with Kakashi and none of this would have happened." His apology was heartfelt and sincere, he would undo every wrong that had been done to her, any hurt she had gone through if he could. Thats what husbands did, they protected their wives.

Sable didnt pull away from him right away, instead she pressed her cheek into his hand. "I wouldnt let you change any of it, Kai. You should have told me who you were, yes, but Im glad you didnt. If you had, I wouldnt have met Kakashi, I wouldnt have been on that mission and I wouldnt have Kasume."

"If we had stayed together, we would have had kids by now, you know. Remember talking about it?" he asked in a whisper, inching forward ever so slightly.

Sable closed her eyes and shook her head lightly, feeling him move closer and unable to either pull away or close the small gap between their lips. "They wouldnt be Kasume."

"No," he conceeded, "but they would be ours." He was so close now that his breath ghosted over lips, sending a shiver of nostalgic longing up her spine.

"Ours," she repeated quietly, eyes still shut. What would it have been like, her pregnancy, if she had been having Kai's child? Would he have been there throughout it or would work have dragged him away? He would have been able to stand her mood swings, that much she knew. He was patient and he had always ended an argument by telling her he couldnt keep up the angry pretense when she looked so cute mad.

"We would have been whole and happy. You would sleep perfectly at night beside me and I would wake you up with kisses and coffee. Do you remember what our mornings were like?" he asked, voice earnest and raw. She needed to remember, to feel the way he did.

Sable opened her eyes to look at him, violet rimmed baby blues soft with nostalgia. She had loved him so much. She had missed him even worse. Seeing him alive was a blessing. Thinking he had burned to death trapped in their home haunted her for years. He had been sweet and funny, completely useless at anything that could remotely be considered woman's work. He made her feel needed- she could never figure out how he had survived on his own before he met her. The man couldnt even wash his own clothes. And she had needed that, the feeling that someone would be so completely lost without her. They had completed each other.

"I do," she answered in a whisper staring at his lips rather than his eyes, those lips looked awfully kissable, "Your kisses tasted like syrup. You always ate before waking me up, said you didnt want to waste our mornings with you gobbling down pancakes. They were the only thing you could cook without burning the hous-" She paused, realizing what she was about to say and jerked away from him, shaking her head, reverie shattered. "Without burning the house down," she finished, tone hard.

"Sable, thats not-" Kai started, cursing himself for bringing up that specific memory, she had almost been there! Almost kissed him!

"But our house did burn down, Kai," she interrupted, standing away from him. "And I thought you burned with it. Remember that? I was the one who had to pick through the ashes of our life together. You just...you just got to walk away. I had to grieve and hurt and rebuild. Again."

"But you did! You did so well," he strained, grabbing her hands and trapping them between his larger ones. "Sable, you were young and beautiful and driven, I knew you would be okay. You would be sad for awhile, maybe be a little lost for a bit, but then you would do what you had to. Like you always did. You never gave up. You had that whole 'life gives us mountains to climb' thing going on. You still do! I had to die for the mission. Otherwise I would have never left you. You have to believe that."

"You say you would change everything that hurt me, that you would tell me the truth after we were married. I dont think you would. You lied to me, I was part of a mission to you- no dont," she ripped her fingers from his and held up a hand when he opened his mouth to object. "Yes, you ended up loving me. But I had no idea who I was in love with. How am I supposed to just accept that?"

"You dont have to. Im the same man you fell in love with. The only thing that I lied about was my job. I couldnt risk you leaving knowing who I really was. Sable, please, Im the same man, I swear it."

"No, you arent. I pretend to be someone Im not for a living, Kai. Even when I was in a cover almost exactly who I am, I had to change things to get the target to love me, to trust me. What did you change? What did you have to lie about to get me to love you so quickly?" she demanded, standing now with tears in her eyes. She had fallen for him the moment he had knocked her over in the market. He was handsome and kind and when he looked at her, she felt like she was the only woman he saw. He had always said the perfect things at the right time. Had he planned that initial run in too? Had the crooked smile and cheesy pick up lines been rehearsed? The thought made her nauseous.

"Sable-"

"That day in the market, the day we met, was that an accident?" she demanded, on the verge of hysterics. Her head was throbbing painfully, her chest tight, and her hands were shaking. She was so exhausted and everything that had happened that day just seemed to crash down upon her all at once. Thinking of all the lies her husband had told during their marriage and doubting the sincerity of every cherished memory that had helped her through the pain of losing him made her feel as if she were one of her clients with someone messing with her mind, changing what she thought she knew, her mental foundation unstable and her own memories called into question.

He just stood there, mouth opening and closing as he tried to formulate an answer that was both honest but wouldnt upset her more. He had never seen her like this. Sable was calm in the face of danger, heartache and pain. She accepted life's blows and dealt with them smoothly and effortlessly. She was a rock. Right now, however, she looked completely undone.

"Tell me the truth, Kai!" she demanded when he failed to provide an answer. "Was it planned? Was that part of your mission?"

"I knew that you were alone...I thought it would make it easier to initiate a relationship with no one to question it or interfere...But Sable I loved you the moment you smiled at me from the ground after I bumped into you, I swear it. I had never loved anyone the way I loved you," he explained desperately, watching helplessly as betrayal and doubt filled her watery eyes. "The way I still love you."

"I was part of your cover... I was a target?" she asked, sounding small and shaken as she thought of all the men she had played, the calculations she had done in her head to make sure she said the right thing and looked the right way to gain their trust, make them interested in her. Kai had done the same thing to her. The only difference was she had been a lonely teenage girl who believed in love while the men she went after were hardened, dangerous criminals.

"Only in the beginning, and even then you had me so much more than I ever had you," he swore, reaching out for her shaking hands.

"Dont touch me! Dont you dare touch me!" she yelled, arms wrapped around her waist in a subconsious attempt to comfort herself.

"What the hell happened?" Kakashi interrupted, rushing over from the hallway after having left Kasume to pick a new dress for school. He pulled the shaken woman into his arms. "What's wrong?" he asked, turning her so she was pressed protectively against his chest while he shot glares at Kai.

"This has nothing to do with you, Kakashi," Kai growled, visibly upset at Sable's reaction. They had been so close. If he hadnt always joked about burning food, she wouldnt have thought of it and they would be reminiscing or kissing. The need to hold her, kiss her, love her had driven him crazy since the day he 'died' and he had been so close just a few moments ago. And now she was crying and doubting their entire marriage and farther from him than she had ever been.

"I could hear you arguing from Kasume's room," Kakashi growled back. "What did you say to her?"

"Everything," Sable cried pathetically against his vest. "Im so tired of this crap. This whole day. I...I just need to sleep, Kakashi," she decided in a hoarse mumble. She couldnt handle talking about anything right then. The whole day had been an emotional roller coaster from start to finish and she hadnt the mental energy to deal with it anymore.

Kakashi looked down at her, one arm around her waist supportively and his other hand at the nape of her neck holding her close. "This is more than just you being tired, Sable," he argued without any real push. Like Kai, he had never seen her so upset. Sable was tough, the toughest woman he knew, but today it seemed her armour was useless.

"Sable, please, can we at least talk this out?" Kai practically begged, ignoring Kakashi. "It isnt what you think. Dont just throw away everything we have because of the semantics of how it started. No matter what, we got married. I love you and you love me. Do you remember our vows? Do you?"

A small sob wracked Sable's tiny frame, eliciting a death glare from Kakashi. "Enough, Kai," he warned, voice low and lethal.

Kai paid him no heed, ignoring the warning completely. "Well, do you, Sable?" he urged, positive if he could just get her to remember how happy they were, she would be glad that he was alive and she would fling herself into his arms and be his wife again.

Before Sable could respond, which would have taken a while considering her current state, Kakashi replied for her, "They said til death you do part, and guess what, Kai? You died, she moved on. Now get the hell out."

"She's my wife," Kai pleaded, no longer caring if he sounded pathetic. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were. For years he had watched her, missed her, loved her, longed for the day when he could tell her he was alive and they could finally be together. Now the day had come and she stood before him crying in another man's arms. He was sure his heart was actually physically breaking in two. "Sable, please."

Sable shook her head. "Just leave, Kai. I cant deal with this tonight. Please, just go?" she asked, pulling far away enough from Kakashi to turn to look at him. "Please?"

He looked away, swallowing hard before nodding reluctantly. "I'll be back tomorrow," he promised before stealing a last glance at her and walking out, the door shutting hard behind him.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked, refusing to loosen his grip on her, both arms now wrapped around her waist. Seeing her so upset freaked him out. She had handled torture much better than this.

Sable bit her lip and blinked rapidly in an attempt to halt the tears, staring at his chest instead of into his eye. "I dont know why I feel like this, Kakashi. This crying thing...I havent been this crazy since I was pregnant. Im being ridiculous," she apologized, using the end of her sleeve to wipe her eyes, sniffling. "This whole day has been pure insanity. And its only noon!" she added, horrified. How much more could possibly happen before the sun retreated beneath the horizon?

"You should lay down. You havent fully recovered yet and Shizune had said to avoid stress," Kakashi told her as he lifted her into his arms bridal style and carried her to her room. She needed rest. He knew she wasnt 100% physically and she was leagues away from being 100% mentally.

"Kakashi, what are you doing? I can walk. Put me down."

"Stop complaining and be quiet. You said you were tired right?"

She nodded, arms around his neck as he carried her. "Can you blame me? I woke up, fought with Inoichi, kissed you, found out my dead husband isnt dead, and apparently our marriage was part of his cover and he targeted me like some collateral damage. I just need today to have not happened. Thats what I need." She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her wrist, surprised to find she was still crying. The tears seemed never ending today.

Kakashi looked down at the small woman in his arms. No, he couldnt blame her. He could, however, worry. She had never been the hysterical type but when he had rushed in before, it looked like she had lost it. She had been more put together the day Itachi had abandoned her at the gates.

"And everything aches again," she added, surprising both of them. When Sable complained of pain, something was wrong. "My back burns."

Kakashi laid her on the bed then sat her up. "Take your shirt off," he ordered.

Normally Sable would have smacked him, but the burning was getting worse so she slipped her tank top over her head. Kakashi turned her so her back was toward him.

"What the..."

"What? What is is? Ow. Its worse. I thought Shizune said it was healing?" Sable questioned, confused.

"Its raw," Kakashi managed, staring at the angry red welts surrounding the newly opened cuts that had been slashed again in her latest interrogation disaster. "They're opening again. Shizune closed them, didnt she?"

Sable nodded, wincing. "She said she could heal the first two layers of skin damage and the rest would follow. They should be closed. But I feel them burning."

"We're going to the hospital." He moved to put her shirt back on but she stopped him.

"No. No, Im not going to the hospital again. I cant sleep there. And I just got home. Kakashi, if they arent bleeding everywhere just reach into my top dresser door and grab the salve with the blue lid, the gauze and the medical tape. I'll bandage them then I can sleep. My head is killing me and Iruka will be here to pick Kasume up for day care any minute."

"Sable, you need to let Shizune look at that. They shouldnt be opening like that. Something is wrong." Kakashi couldnt look away from her torn up back. Thats what she had to relive in her nightmares?

"Look, if its that big of a deal, I'll stop by her office later tonight. For now though, just grab me the stuff out of the top drawer. The quicker the better." She felt like someone had dropped acid down her spine- for the third time. And she wasnt sure she could keep still much longer. The salve would cool her angry flesh enough for her to sleep. She would deal with the latest problem in what was already a ridiculously shitty day after a nap.

Kakashi thought about arguing but decided against it and grabbed what she asked for, pushing her hands away when she reached back to apply it herself. She let her hands settle in her lap, fists clenched, allowing him to slowly and gently cover her wounds with soothingly cool salve. He bandaged her spine and taped it up before pressing a kiss to the nape of her neck.

"Get some rest. I'll wait for Iruka with Kasume."

Sable turned to look at him, managing to almost stifle a wince at the movement. "Are you sure?"

As a reply, Kakashi picked her up carefully and set her on her side beneath the covers before sitting beside her. She gave him a weary smile before rolling onto her stomach. She sniffled again before closing her eyes and drifting off into sleep. This whole crying thing was absolutely exhausting and her body ached. The bed was insanely comfortable and Kakashi's presence was reassuring. In no time she was passed out.

Kakashi brushed her hair out of her face before standing and heading inside to make sure Kasume had decided on an outfit.

Kai's appearance had thrown his momentum off but as soon as they made sure Sable was okay, Kakashi Hatake was going to win the competition and finally get that second chance he had waited four years for.

XxX

Okay!

So, Kai is back and he just wants things to return to the way they used to be. But Sable is having some serious trouble getting over the "semantics" of their marriage. After all, she does what he did to her for a living now and has always been on the lying end of the gig.

And of course there's Kakashi- who is just determined to prove that he and Sable are supposed to be together. He may have dropped the ball four years ago, but he is definitely playing for keeps now.

What do you guys think?

Any guesses as to why Sable's cuts are reopened?

Would you forgive Kai? Could you ever trust him again?

LET ME KNOW IN A REVIEW! The next Chapter has been written and is just awaiting the three reviews its needs to be uploaded. Come on, guys! You can do it!


	11. By The Way

Hello All!

Its been forever. I know. Finals drove me insane and this year has been crazy but life has finally calmed down enough for me to sit down and pen the next few chapters so here is the first one, I thought I had posted until chapter 12 but I guess I never uploaded them? So these next two will go up within a day of eachother. Hope you all enjoy!

CHAPTER ELEVEN: By The Way

"Where are you going?" Kakashi questioned as he half jogged to keep up with Sable and Kasume down the dirt road from her little cottage into the heart of the village.

"Im going to find out what in the he-world," she amended with a quick glance down at a skipping Kasume, "Is going on with me. Something is obviously going on with my scars- the new ones and the old ones."

"I agree with finding out whats wrong with you as soon as possible but I think you should slow down a second so you dont rip your stitches-again," Kakashi tried to reason. She was walking at a furious pace, Kasume skipping alongside her, just happy to be going on an adventure with her mom after only a half day of day care.

She had woken up, mere minutes before, in a pool of her own blood. She had cried out in shock and pain, shooting upright so she was kneeling on the bed, shocked to find it was only the back of her tank top soaked in crimson. Kakashi had rushed in from the living room, _Icha Icha _novel still in his hand. But when he worked her top off and over her head to examine her back he found nothing but partially healed scars above her previous scar tissue. After a thorough check of the rest of her body, the moment too panic ridden to be anywhere near intimate, they realized she was no longer bleeding. That had been the tipping point and Sable had bolted out of bed to shower and change. Then without a word she had grabbed Kasume, who had been released from day care early, and headed out the door.

"Whats wrong, Mommy? Are you sick?" the toddler asked, tugging on the hand that clasped her own.

Sable slowed and came to a stop, crouching on her haunches to be level with her dark eyed daughter. "No, baby. Mommy's going to be fine. I just need to have Aunt Shizune look at my booboos from the other day. Like a check up," she tried explaining, willing herself to be calm and confident- a hard feat given how terrified she had been waking up in a pool of her own blood, her back screaming the way it had after Itachi had finished playing with her. It had taken an incredibly amount of self control to keep the tremors that threatened to rack her slight frame at bay.

"A check up? Like when I had tummy troubles?" Kasume asked, comparing her run in with the flu to her mother's current need to see a healer.

"Yup, just like when you had tummy troubles."

"Are you gonna throw up too?" Kasume questioned, her little face filled with worry. She had hated that part of the flu. It had been awful. Definitely the worst thing to happen in her short, otherwise happy life.

Kakashi grinned beneath his mask and Sable laughed and hugged her. "No, honey. I'm not going to throw up. It's not exactly that kind of sick. I just have to ask Aunt Shizune some questions. It will only be a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay," Kasume agreed with a definitive nod of her head.

Sable smiled and straightened up, taking her hand again and turning back towards the road.

Kakashi walked just slightly behind the pair, watching Kasume bounce with a small flicker of tenderness in his grey eye. The toddler and he had spent the day playing and talking. Kasume was incredibly bright for her age, asking questions he would have expected of a much older child. She constantly sought to relate any newly discovered knowledge with older experiences, updating the encyclopedia in her head. She was an Uchiha as far as intelligence went, that was for sure. If thinking about Sasuke didnt tear at his heart since the chuunin had run off, he would have compared the two of them.

Strangely enough, Kakashi found despite the actions of both remaining Uchiha men, he didn't see Kasume as part of them, the way he feared he would when Sable told him she was pregnant with Itachi's child. This little discovery had him more determined than ever to convince Sable he was worth a second chance.

As the trio entered town they were stopped by a blond-haired kunoichi with her hands on her hips.

"You have some nerve!" the young woman said immediately, words dripping with anger. She stood tall and firm in the middle of the road, making sure that they couldnt just ignore her or walk around.

Sable blinked in surprise. "Ino, what are you-"

"We need to talk about what you did to my father," Ino said, tone forceful and demanding. "I can't believe you even have the gall to walk around town with Kakashi-sensai! It's just cruel."

"What I did to your father? Ino, what happens between us is just that, between us. Inoichi and I have to talk, yes, but nothing is going on between Kakashi and I-"

"You tell my dad that you care about him, let him into your life, then as soon as he's in love with you, you go and break his heart!" Ino interrupted, properly outraged on behalf of her father.

"Thats not how it happened," Sable replied, attempting to maintain a façade of calm while listening to Ino voice her own worst opinions on what happened between her and Inoichi.

"Oh no? So you didnt tell him before you left that nothing would change, then come back and everything changed? Hmm" Ino demanded, hands still on her hips.

"Sable didn't think things would change," Kakashi spoke up in her defense when Sable had no answer. "She didn't plan on feeling anything for me, Ino. There was no conspiracy, at least on Sable's part," he glanced over at Sable as he admitted it, "for anything more than the mission to happen between Sable and I."

"Kakashi-sensai, I'm sorry but you should stay out of this. You're the reason everything went so wrong to begin with," Ino accused.

"You can blame me if you want, Inoichi can too, but my presence wouldn't have caused such problems if there had been stronger feelings between Sable and your father," Kakashi explained calmly, nonplussed by the young woman's anger. He knew Ino and her father were close and couldn't blame the girl for caring- or being angry. But he was an honest shinobi and he had set out on that mission determined to right his past wrongs and see if Sable still harbored any feelings for him.

"Sable and my father were happy before that mission. Or at least, my dad thought they were."

"We were," Sable interjected, eyes on Kakashi. Hearing him admit he had a not so well hidden agenda embarking on their mission was slightly relieving. He was owning up to his part, even if it didnt mean much in the grand scheme of things, it was something.

"If you were then why are you shaking up with Kakashi-sensai?" she questioned harshly.

Kasume looked back and forth between Ino and her mother, a frown on her lips. "Mommy, why is Ino mad? How did you breaked Uncle Inoichi's heart? Did you drop it?"

Sable opened her mouth, closed it and then repeated the process, at a loss for words. She had planned on explaining the Inoichi situation to Kasume later when she had found a way to explain it so that Kasume could comprehend it. "It's not a break like when your toys break, Kasume. It's a grown up kind of break and Mommy will tell you more about it when we get home tonight, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Sable kissed the top of her head and then turned to Ino, more angry than halfheartedly defensive now. "I care about your father very much, Ino. I understand that you're angry but this isnt the time nor place to talk about this and well, quite frankly, you aren't the one I need to be having this conversation with." Her voice took on a firmer tone, the tone of a mother scolding a child and Kasume's eyes went wide at hearing her mother's "serious" voice.

"Uh-Oh, Ino, you're going to go in time out," she warned somberly. As an active child sitting in a corner for ten minutes without her dollies or toys was absolute torture. She may not understand exactly what was going on but she knew enough that she didn't envy the older girl one bit.

Ino exhaled angrily and directed her narrowed eyes at Sable. "Fine. But you hurt my dad again and I dont care where we are or who we're in front of, you'll hear from me." With that she turned on her heel and stalked away.

"That was...unpleasant," Kakashi observed, watching Sable carefully. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, lips crushed into a thin line.

"Unpleasant is one way to put it," she said finally, shaking her head. She was only mad because Ino had been right. Not about the 'shacking up' with Kakashi thing, but about everything else. She had hurt Inoichi.

"Want to talk about it?" he offered, figuring she would say no but wanting to let her know it was an option. He was here now and he planned on helping her deal with the fall out of him essentially ending her relationship with Inoichi. It had given him some hope when Sable hadn't insisted that she love Inoichi and that they would get back together. Maybe it wasnt official yet, but Sable and Inoichi were all but over. If he wasnt sure that he belonged with Sable himself, Kakashi may have felt bad about causing the divide. But he and Sable were right for each other, Inoichi would find someone else.

"No." Sable ran a hand through her long ink-colored hair and inhaled slowly, holding it a moment before letting the breath out quickly. "Let's just get to Shizune." She took Kasume's hand and started walking towards the hospital, Kakashi walking alongside them.

…...

"Can you watch Kasume out here while I go in?" Sable asked Kakashi once they were outside of Shizune's office. "I dont think its a good idea for little ears to h-e-a-r about my p-r-o-b-l-e-m," she explained, spelling out the words quickly so Kasume couldnt catch on. Kasume was an ace speller already but Sable had learned that if she spelt them quickly enough the three year old had a harder time catching on.

Kakashi hesitated. He wanted to be inside, hear first hand what was going on. On the other hand, however, he wanted to prove he would be around, being trusted with watching Kasume was a big deal. As fas as he knew, not even Asuma was allowed to watch her without Kurenai around. Sable was more than a little overprotective and he knew if she hadn't been ill that morning she would have insisted on staying awake to watch Kasume. So he nodded, "Yeah. No problem."

Sable exhaled in relief, having anticipated a fight. "Thank you. Kasume, Mommy will be right back. So just stay with Kakashi for a little while then we'll go get some ice cream, okay?"

"Is Kakashi going to come get ice cream?" Kasume asked innocently.

"Yes, he is," Kakashi answered before Sable could. His eye crinkled as he smiled when she rolled her eyes and headed into Shizune's office.

…...

"Wow," Shizune said for the third time as she examined Sable's half reopened, half closed wounds. "Yeah, I have never seen this before,They seem to be clean- they aren't infected- but they're opening and closing on their own?"

"Yes. I have no idea what's going on. So much has happened the past week and this is just another worry I dont need at the moment. The burning is bad- not as bad as when I got them, of course, but still pretty bad," Sable explained from her spot laying on the chilled metal table face down.

"So instead of listening to my prescription of bed rest, you've been stressing yourself out?" Shizune asked critically, shaking her head. kami forbid a patient actually took her bed rest demands seriously. Thats what she got for working with bull-headed ninja.

Sable sighed. "Yes. But I'm not the one stressing me out. The world is," she defended.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Men. Three of them to be more specific."

"Three?" Shizune repeated, eyes wide. "Wow, Sable, I had no idea you were into-"

"Not like that! Jeez, Shizune. They all have feelings for me. They want me to pick one, basically." She shook her head then clunked her forehead against the steel table.

Shizune whistled. "That would definitely be stressful. You said earlier today you were having nightmares and thats when your wounds reopened? And this morning, when they started burning, you had been arguing with someone?"

"Right... Does that mean something?"

"I dont know," the healer admitted. "It could. I think maybe your chakra being so connected with your mind- because of your particular genjutsu techniques- has to do with it- at least partly."

"What do you mean?" Sable asked, pushing her self up into a sitting position, tee shirt held up against her breasts.

"Well, you're chakra is linked to your mind more than anything, the way mine is connected a bit more strongly in my hands, because thats where I concentrate it when healing others. You create images, scenarios in your mind and project them with your chakra from your brain."

"Thats right but I dont see the connection to whats going on here?"

"I think your emotions- strong ones like fear and anger or hurt- are making your chakra gates go a bit haywire. So instead of helping you heal, its making the wounds worse. I think maybe the chakra is leaking out and your mind is directing it at your physical injury-one that seems to embody most of those negative emotions."

"But thats never happened before, why would it start now?" Sable asked, more than a little worried. "I've heard around that on your mission, you performed a new jutsu, one that was difficult and required fine tuning someone elses mind using your own. Something about replacing someone's memories with false ones- permanently?"

Sable swallowed, the memory not exactly a pleasant one. "Yeah, something like that."

"Well, from what I can tell, it deepened the direct connection of your chakra and your emotions and thoughts."

"Great." She hadnt thought of any repercussions from her memory experiment on her interrogator. The jutsu had been difficult, required infinite focus and she had actually had to use her own chakra to direct Kakashi's through her, infuse it with the false memories and then implant them within her assailants mind. Thinking it over, she had opened her mind while attempting to firmly control not only her own chakra flow, but Kakahsi's as well- defintiely a risky technique.

"Im sorry, Sable. This is new territory for me too. Tell you what, you go home and take that bed rest I prescribed the other day, and I will look into it. Maybe theres been a past case with something similar going on. I'll let you know if I find anything, okay?"

Sable nodded, clasped her bra and slipped her shirt back over her head before hopping off the table. "Sounds like a plan. Thank you, Shizune."

"Of course. Now make sure you let me know if anything changes, alright?" the healer said as she walked her to the door.

"I will. Thanks again."

"Well? What did Shizune say?" Kakashi asked the moment Sable stepped out of the office "Whats going on?"

Sable smiled at the look of concern in his eye. She knew he would be frowning under that mask of his. She would never admit it, but she was afraid and having him there waiting made it a little easier to breathe. "I'll tell you about it on the way to get some ice cream."

…...

"I have two men declaring their love for me, Ino harassing me in town and apparently some freak chakra mind connection going on," Sable summed, throwing her hands up in exasperation as she paced back and forth, wearing a tread into her plush carpet. "What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Have a drink?" Kurenai suggested from her curled up position in the couch. She giggled at the glare her fellow kuniochi shot her. "Okay, okay. No more jokes. Im just saying, its hard to sympathize when you're kind of living most women's dreams, Sable. minus the whole mdical mystery and angry teen daughter of the guy you dumped thing." Her red eyes were amused by her friend's predicament. She knew who she would choose if the positions were reversed. But Sable was too unsure of everything but Kasume. Kurenai knew her friend was the type to keep her guard up and that was a problem considering the current situation- the only three men ever allowed behind Sable's walls were asking her to pick one and block the other two out. The decision wouldnt be easy to make, and despite the teasing, Kurenai didnt envy her friend. Having a medication issue to worry about was just icing on the proverbial cake.

"How am I supposed to just pick one? This is so crazy. For four years I've been alone- except for these past few months with Inoichi. And I know he's the one I should have chosen right away. Hes everything I wanted. He's a shinobi, he's compassionate, he's attractive and he's just amazing with Kasume. But then Kakashi showed back up and... its like I see him and then as soon as we're apart, hes all I think about. Its pathetic. He just...we have this crazy connection. Emotionally, of course, but physically... Kurenai, you have no idea how hard it was not to kiss him while we were alone. And then the other day we finally did and now... " she bit her lip just remembering the feeling of his mouth against hers. The man might drive her insane but he sure as hell knew how to kiss.

"And you can't stop thinking about it," Kurenai finished for her, shaking her head and leaning into the plush dark fabric of the couch.

"No, I can't. Which isnt helping me think clearly at all. Because then there's Kai. And I know you don't know him but Kurenai, I was so lost after my parents died and Jiraiya got called away and Kai kept me sane. He was everything I needed. He was my first love, my first kiss, my first everything. I still love him and I think I always will," she trailed off, her brow furrowed as a frown marred her aristocratic features.

"But...?" Kurenai prompted, stretching her toned legs along the length of the couch.

"But it was all to help secure his cover. He played me the way I play criminals! How the hell am I supposed to just get over that?" Sable stopped pacing and turned to her friend. "If you found out Asuma had been using you this whole time, that everything was part of a cover, how would you feel?" she demanded.

"Betrayed," Kurenai conceded. "Like you do. I get that. I just think maybe you're focusing a little bit much on that one fact so you have a reason not to consider how you feel about him despite the betrayal. For you, and apparently for Kai, all those feelings were genuine. They wont disappear if you cover them with anger, Sable."

"I am not! He faked his own death! I mourned him! How can I even think of being with him, no matter how much I loved him, after everything thats happened?"

"Sable, he came back for you. So you have to think everything over seriously. This is your life. And Kasume's. You have to decide eventually. You cant leave the two of them waiting forever."

"Three of them," Sable corrected with a weary wave of her hand. "The three of them. I...I havent spoken to Inoichi since he left. Its been five days."

"Five days!" Kurenai scolded in surprise. "That poor man has probably found out about Kai. He's got to be confused. You need to talk to him."

Sable groaned and dropped onto the couch beside Kurenai's legs. "I know. I told you about what happened with Ino. I just...what do I say? 'Hey, Inoichi. I know you were there for me when no other man was, and I know we had something pretty great going, but since Kakashi came back into my life, I think of him when we kiss, Oh and by the way, my supposedly dead husband's returned and he wants me to take him back and I still have no idea how I feel about any of it.' Sounds like shit." She had avoided all three men for the past five days, with Kai coming to her home every day asking to just talk things through. She was being a coward, that much she knew. Though, her admitting it didnt mean she had plans of resolving any of it soon. If it were really up to her Sable would forget any of it had happened and go back to the days when it was just her and Kasume.

"Its the truth though. You have to be honest with that man. He loves you. He'd wait for you to figure things out if you asked him." Kurenai wasnt about to let Sable chicken out of dealing with life, not when her friend was usually so much better at it.

Dragging a hand across her face Sable nodded miserably. "I know that. He deserves so much better than Ive given him and I want him to be happy. I just...I never got to the part of falling in love with him the way I did with Kakashi and Kai. If we had been given more time before all of this began, I think I would have chosen him."

Kurenai nudged her with her foot and asked, "So why not pick him and take that time?"

"Because he deserves more than I can give him. How can he be the one if when we kiss, I think of someone else?"

"True. So," Kurenai nudged her again, a little harder this time. "Dont you think you owe it to him to let him know that?"

Sable smacked her foot away before standing. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'll go talk to him. Can you watch Kasume? She should wake from her nap in about half an hour."

"Of course."

…...

NEXT UP: Kakashi and Kai have a little mano e mano chat, Sable finally talks to Inoichi and Shizune has some news about Sable's condition!

You guys know the drill, let me know what you think! Like I said, the next chapter will be posted in about a day since its already written, just need to edit then its all yours!


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